The Bucket List
by Eternity's Angel of Mercy
Summary: (Part 1 of 4 in the series) Earth-born Shepard is spending her shore leave fulfilling an unusual bucket list item: driving cross country in an ancient muscle car. Only one Turian would be brave enough to go along for the bumpy, and surprising, ride. -FemShep/Garrus, post ME1-
1. Welcome Home

**Disclaimer**: Welcome to a new story! I am pretty excited about this one. After my last one-shot /Garrus romp, I wanted another. But, I decided to go with a longer, chapter-based fic this time. For the legal stuff: Don't sue! Pretty please? I swear I don't own anything here AT ALL. K? K. Onward to the story!

**Welcome Home**

* * *

Shepard stared at the advertisement in open awe. It was perfect. It was exactly what she wanted. And the Normandy's shore leave had been approved for the next two weeks...

Shepard was practically hysterical as she typed the quick message to the provided address on the advert. She sent the message without proof-reading, which went to show how out of sorts the Commander was. Being a horrendous speller, Shepard utilized the 'auto-correct' function on her omni-tool religiously. However, the funny thing about auto-correct was that it sometimes replaced your misspelling with a completely different word. Shepard had learned through training that this could sometimes be a fatal mistake and to always proof-read her messages before shooting them into the extranet.

Luckily, it seemed her recent message was either flawless (doubtful), or the person whom she contacted couldn't tell the difference between proper and improper word usage. Her omni-tool lit up with an incoming call, which she eagerly patched through to her earpiece.

"This is Shepard," she answered, just in case the call was not the one she was hoping for.

"Shepurd?" the voice on the other line drawled. Shepard could almost hear chewing tobacco juice swishing in his mouth. "Comman'er Shepurd?"

"Yes, sir," Shepard answered crisply.

"Well, I'll be jimmied. What in the blazes got you lookin' ta talk ta me?"

Shepard tried not to laugh or sound too giddy as she replied, "Well, sir, I saw your ad in Tour America, and I am extremely interested in taking that beauty off your hands."

There was a long silence before the man on the other end let out a whooping yell. "Ma! Ma, get in hur! I got Comman'er Shepurd on the phone and she's gonna buy our car!"

...

It was the most beautiful piece of antique glory Shepard had ever seen. She ran her hand along the pitted, rust-stained hood and sighed deeply in satisfaction. This was going to be the best damn shore leave she'd ever had.

"I don't understand," she heard Garrus murmur behind her. "It's a piece of junk."

Joker scoffed, leaning awkwardly against the hood of the car. "It was a piece of junk a hundred years ago when it was built, too. These things were constantly breaking down, blowing up... I don't know why you'd rather drive around in this rattle trap then go fight Geth. It's just as dangerous."

Shepard raised an eyebrow at Joker before murmuring, "You don't have to come along if you'd rather sit on the beach and sip Mai Tai's."

"That," Joker alleged, "is exactly what I would rather do. So long as I have to stick around on Earth, I'm getting a tan, I'm getting alcohol, and maybe even getting laid. Preferably not in that order, either."

Shepard rolled her eyes. The half-month shore leave was just the thing the crew wanted after the stint with Saren. Shepard couldn't blame any of them, however she was shocked the request was approved for all active crew - including Garrus, who planned on staying on with C-Sec to help rebuild and stabilize the Citadel.

Joker had dropped off the rest of the crew at their preferred destinations - some of them decided to stay at the Citadel and help restoration efforts by day and party by night; others were dropped off on colonies to be with parents or friends. Tali was returned to the Flotilla with her Pilgrimage gift, but had assured Shepard that her departure was only for a while. Liara left the ship at Illium, saying that there were things she needed to look into before rejoining Shepard. Wrex was back on Tuchanka where he said he belonged - evidently, tight spaces with so many different species gave him indigestion. He did give Shepard a shockingly human handshake and hug as he departed, however, so she was sure he was only complaining to keep up appearances.

And now it was just Joker, Garrus and Shepard.

"Why did you say you weren't going to Palaven?" Joker had asked Garrus as docked at the Spacial Technics and Docking Bay in Homestead, Florida.

Garrus has only shrugged before answering sneakily, "I didn't say."

Now, Garrus had much the same expression on his face as he lazily groused, "So, Joker, are you planning on hobbling around by yourself or would you like a chaperone?"

"Nah," Joker smirked. "I'm trying to catch ladies, remember? Chicks dig the soldier with a debilitating problem. 'Damaged goods' make their maternal instincts go haywire – but in a good way. You'll only slow me down - or scare them away."

Shepard rolled her eyes. "You'd better not get thrown in jail, Joker."

Joker feigned wide-eyed innocence, touching his chest. "Commander, me? I would never. I've be taught respect and dignity from the best CO in the Alliance Navy."

Garrus snorted. "He's going to end up in jail."

Shepard cocked an eyebrow at Garrus, but a smile tugged her mouth. "Garrus, are you hanging around here to babysit? If you'd rather brave the wild and unkempt roads with me, you're welcome to come along."

Garrus laughed. "Wild and unkempt roads, you say? I should probably come along, then, since you are prone to vehicular accidents even on clean, dry surfaces."

Joker chuckled. "With that, I am out of here. I don't want to get caught in the middle - innocent bystander and all." He limped away from the car, turning toward the STDB hub gates. "See ya, Commander, Garrus."

Shepard raised a hand goodbye and watched the man disappear into the throng of people coming in -and going out - of the small space hub.

Not wanting to waste any open-road time, Shepard went to the trunk, popping the small key into the keyhole on the back. The trunk took a bit of finagling before it popped open with a squealing moan. She grabbed her small bag of toiletries and two changes of clothing from the ground and popped them into the trunk. She had already put her sleeping bag in the backseat, not wanting her toiletries (mainly her expensive bottle of asari perfume, a gift from Liara) to burst and coat the sleeping pallet. Civilian clothing was expendable - a high grade weather-proof sleeping bag was not.

Turning to Garrus, she put her hand out for his bags.

Garrus handed her his bag and rolled up sleeping pallet, which was much heavier than hers, before glancing around. "Earth is surprisingly empty. I always heard you humans live in very close quarters."

Shepard shoved his bags into the trunk along with hers. "Well, this is just a small space hub. All of the Earth hubs have a strict "no civilian living quarters nearby" policy. I guess mainly for safety of the civilians, in case something goes wrong or the hub is attacked. A lot of the bigger cities are over-crowded. Massive apartments and buildings and houses all crowded together... From the vids, it seems like it's gotten worse since I was last here, too."

"When was that?" Garrus asked, seeming truly interested.

Shepard had to think about that one. "Well, I was... I was fourteen, I think. So it's been almost fifteen years." She turned back to the trunk to close it... and it wouldn't budge. She took a deep breath and put her full weight behind it and it still only squealed in protest.

Garrus was laughing. At her. She stepped back, sighing. "Fine. Obviously I can't win against a rusted precursor of human ingenuity. Would you mind?"

Garrus, still chuckling, came over and effortlessly shut the truck. "Good thing you've got a Turian for a best friend, Commander."

"Good thing," Shepard agreed, feeling the thrill of starting a new adventure course through her veins. She had originally wanted to do this alone - a solitary drive through what was once considered the most wild and untouched land left on Earth. But now that Garrus was here... it felt right to be sharing this with him. He was, after all, her best friend. "Come on, Vakarian - let's get this bird in the air."

Garrus' mandibles flared slightly as he contemplated the expression. "This _can_ fly?"

Shepard got behind the wheel, pushing the key into the ignition. She kept forgetting that there was a bit of a language barrier – especially when it came to Earth jargon. "No... it's just a phrase."

Garrus nodded slowly as he got into the passenger seat. The old car was built wide and high, luckily, or else Garrus might have made the trip lying in the back seat. As it was, his head nearly brushed the felt roof and his left arm was hogging the center console. "This is a very small bird."

Shepard snorted to keep her laughter back. She wasn't about to correct him when he was so obviously attempting to be as human as possible. She turned the key in the engine and the vehicle gave a ferocious growl of energy.

Excitedly, Shepard nudged the car into drive and pressed down on the accelerator. The car let out another yowl before jolting forward, its wheels screeching across the old asphalt parking lot.

...

That night, amid nothing but old cotton fields and stars, Garrus and Shepard laid in their sleeping bags, looking at the sky.

"Next shore leave, we need to do this on Palaven," Shepard murmured sleepily. The warm, muggy night air caressed her face, making her relax in a way she hadn't done in years.

"Mmmhmm," Garrus agreed, sounding just as comfortable as Shepard felt.

"The stars look so different from here," Shepard continued. "They're so cold in space. Unmoving. And from here they look like... almost like... they're alive," she finished after a yawn.

Garrus hummed his agreement, his voice harmonic. Shepard slowly fell into a fitful sleep with the Georgian summer air above and Garrus Vakarian at her side.

* * *

Author's Note:

I hope you all liked the first chapter. Give me some love love in the reviews (even constructive crit is welcomed!). Heavy flirting to come, but this will be more of a comedic romp with romance and soul-searching peppered in here and there.

Thanks for reading!

Love love,

E.


	2. Dust in the Wind

**Chapter Two:**

**Dust in the Wind**

* * *

Day 2

Shepard was awoken by the sound of gunfire. Twisting frantically in her sleeping bag, she reached for the pistol at her hip. She groped around for a few moments before realizing – her pistol was still in the trunk of the car she bought yesterday.

Mind reeling, Shepard went still in the sleeping bag, listening. There was a ringing silence around her… whoever was shooting seemed to have either gotten their target or was reloading for a second go. She slowly turned toward where Garrus had bunked for the night… and found him – and his sleeping bag- gone.

_Oh shit… did you seriously drag your best friend along and lose him? _ Shepard slowly and carefully unzipped her bag, slinking out of it. Carefully and quietly, the soldier crept toward the parked car.

Another shot rang out and Shepard hit the ground. She rolled herself into a compact ball, head shielded by her arms and vitals by her legs. _What in the holy hell is happening? _She thought desperately. _I was sure this place was empty…_

"Having fun?"

Shepard turned her head and found Garrus had come to stand next to her – his rifle was slung over one shoulder, an empty heat sink in hand. Garrus was grinning like a schoolboy thrilled at his recent prank.

"Damnit, Garrus," Shepard groaned, unraveling herself and getting to her feet. "You really should not wake up a soldier with gunfire. It tends to put them on edge."

"Sorry, Shepard," Garrus retorted, sounding anything but sorry. "But I did try waking you with a friendly jab. I decided to get some practice in while you slept. By the way, has anyone told you that you make the most interesting noise when you're sleeping? I have never quite heard such a thing come from an organic's mouth. It was almost like metal being scraped against metal over and over."

Shepard found herself blushing. "I was snoring? That's impossible. I don't snore."

"And I assume you know this from…?" Garrus trailed off. He had a very cocky smirk on his face.

Shepard huffed, but felt her mouth tugging into a grin. "Don't make me regret bringing you along, Vakarian. One more crack about my snoring –which I still don't believe – and you're hoofing it back to the Normandy."

Garrus looked confused. "I'm what'ing it back to the Normandy?"

Shepard grinned. "Nothing. Come on, let's find somewhere for breakfast." She gathered up her sleeping gear and tossed it unceremoniously into the back seat again. She popped a toothpaste tablet into her mouth and swiped a bit of lip gloss on before zipping up her toiletry bag. She put that, along with all of Garrus' gear, into the trunk.

Her clothes were rumpled from sleeping in, but she decided it would be better to re-dress in a public bathroom somewhere. She trusted Garrus with her life, but she didn't quite trust him not to sneak a peek if she stripped down out here. Hell, she'd be too curious to stop herself if he was the one doing the changing.

Shepard's cheeks flared red again at the thought. _It's not like I am attracted to him, _she rationalized. _I've just never seen another species naked._

She shook the thoughts away before slamming the trunk closed and sliding into the driver's seat. Garrus was already in the passenger, his right hand securely wrapped around the grab bar above the window.

Shepard raised an eyebrow at this. "You feeling okay?"

"Hmm?" Garrus asked, seeming as though his thoughts were elsewhere. He saw her looking at his hand and he smirked. "Oh I'm fine. This is just very…comfortable."

"I see…" Shepard paused for a moment before turning the key in the ignition. The engine took a few moments to turn over, but once it did, it spit out a cloud of dark smoke from the exhaust. _Well that's fantastic,_ Shepard thought, worry beginning to creep in. They had around 3000 miles left on their journey and the car was already starting to crap out? Rusted precursor crap…

The car jolted forward, running over old growth and weeds as she maneuvered it back toward the road. Garrus' hand tightened on the grab bar but he stayed silent and looked relatively calm. "You know," Shepard ventured, "back in the day, those things were called '_oh shit' _handles_." _

The Turian glanced over at her and, completely deadpan, murmured, "I understand why."

Shepard only laughed and pushed down on the gas pedal. The digital display on the dash rushed from 64 to 73.

…

The unlikely friends finally stopped outside of a very rundown building surrounded by weeds and scraggly trees. Garrus' sensitive nostrils flared at the scent of decomposing leaves and something decidedly disgusting. Shepard breathed in deeply and said only one word. "Denny's."

"Pardon?" Garrus asked.

Shepard only grinned, walking up to the door on the decrepit building. There was a faded yellow sign above said building, thought the writing on it was foreign to Garrus. He hesitantly followed Shepard into what appeared to be a deathtrap – surely that roof was not safe…

A young human greeted them at the door, her big blue eyes seeming to enlarge at the sight of Garrus. "You ain't from 'round here, is you?" she drawled, taking the moment to blow a massive pink bubble from her mouth.

Shepard, as smooth as ever, gracefully murmured, "How'd you guess?" With a smile, she added, "Just us two, please. And somewhere quieter would be preferred."

The girl nodded, smacking her lips obnoxiously around a pink substance in her mouth. Garrus could not take his eyes off of the sight of the pink stuff… it looked like she was chewing on a hanar.

The girl –Rita, according to her nametag- led them to a table at the back and far away from the kitchen. There were only a few other patrons, all of which seemed intent on staring holes into Garrus' light armor.

Shepard slid into the booth and Garrus took the seat opposite of her. Rita handed them both menus and asked, "Whatcha want to git to drink?"

"Water, please," Shepard requested with a friendly smile.

"I'll pass," Garrus responded, sure that there was nothing dextro friendly on this menu. He was glad he and Shepard had grabbed some packaged dextro food at the space hub before leaving… unless they saw a big city in the near future, he was out of luck for food.

When Rita left the table, Garrus leaned in close to Shepard. "What was in her mouth?"

Shepard smirked. "What do you think it was?" At Garrus' annoyed frown, Shepard laughed softly. "It's a human thing. It's called bubble gum. It's flavored and chewy and fantastic if you are quitting cigarettes."

Garrus looked taken aback. "Cigarettes?"

"They're something you smoke – they have addictive stuff in them and can cause lung cancer. Not too many people smoke anymore and it's hard to come by the cigarettes nowadays. A lot of humans used to die from them."

Garrus shook his head before covering it with a hand. "I don't think I will ever understand your species."

Shepard nodded, sympathetic. "We're all crazy… some of us more so than others, of course."

When Rita returned with Shepard's water, Shepard handed her the menus and requested something called 'pancakes' and eggs 'over easy' with a side of 'bacon.' Garrus decided not to ask about the food choices – the idea of cigarettes and bubble gum were still too boggling.

"This place seems… very poor," Garrus finally said, looking out the dirty window toward the parking lot. Small, furry creatures were skittering about, fighting over food wrappers.

Shepard nodded; the look on her face was something close to sorrow. "That's what happens when you're forgotten." She was silent for a time before adding, "You know we have the metropolises – New York, Seattle, Los Angeles, Vancouver… Those are just a few, but it gives you an idea." Garrus nodded and Shepard continued, "Those cities were already hubs for intellectuals and geniuses. With the new advancements, the cities grew in wealth and power. Cities with learning institutes did well, too – colleges were always rich sources for cities. But towns like this, where there were farmers and store owners…" Shepard cracked a grin, but it did not look pleasant. "They fell behind or became obsolete in some cases. The rich got richer and the poor got poorer… and it's still happening."

Rita came back with Shepard's food and Shepard offered her a real smile, thanking her. Shepard pushed her strange looking food around on the plate for a bit, taking small bites here and there. Garrus took the moment to get one of his food packets and tear into it, devouring the contents.

Shepard watched him for a few moments, amused. It looked like he was eating peacock-colored flan, though she was sure it tasted nothing like the Spanish treat. She tucked into her eggs and bacon, and then moved onto the pancakes. The food tasted heavenly, which went to show how long it had been since she'd had a decent meal. Nothing but protein packs was enough to make scorched bacon and overcooked eggs taste divine.

Once they were finished eating, Shepard excused herself and went into the bathroom, taking her toiletry bag with her. When she returned, her light makeup was flawless, her hair was down, and she was wearing a pair of shorts and tank top. The clothing looked nothing like Citadel fashion, but did look surprisingly good on her.

"I'm going to go pay," she told Garrus before walking to the terminal and transferred the credits over to it. Garrus came to her side just in time to see Shepard authorize an additional 100 credits to the total. Rita tried to correct the Commander, who only smiled at the girl patiently.

When they left the restaurant, Garrus glanced at Shepard out of the corner of his eye. She looked contented, like a weight had been lifted by the simple good deed.

"You're a good person, Shepard," Garrus said finally.

Shepard smiled, bumping him with her shoulder. "Oh yeah? Would I make a good Turian?"

Garrus cracked a smile. "You'd make a lousy Turian. You're too small, for one, and all of that hair! Why do you humans insist on having so much of it?"

Shepard giggled, running a hand through her hair. "You're right; I'm too pretty to be a Turian."

Garrus smiled, watching as she climbed back into the vehicle. Humans were such strange creatures, completely contradictory to what Garrus was raised to find normal and attractive. He had to admit, though, she was a staggering specimen when it came to her race.

"Don't worry, Shepard," he groused, lowering himself into the vehicle, "I've heard that all humans suffer from these self-centered delusions of beauty."

The car growled to life, drowning out Shepard's laughter.

…

The heat was getting unbearable, even for Garrus. "Shepard, how is it possible to feel as though you're drowning in heat?"

Shepard had attempted to speed up to get more air circulation into the car, but the gas gauge was not enjoying the added speed. So, she had slowed back down to 65 and tried fanning herself with an old map she'd found in the back seat.

"It's the summer humidity," she groaned. "I forgot how horrible it was down here. I've only been to the South once, and that was in the winter." Her black tank top kept sticking to her rather uncomfortably no matter how many times she pulled it away from her skin.

Garrus leaned forward, fiddling with the controls on the console. "Can't any of these provide decent air?"

"A/C's busted," Shepard sighed. She kept her eyes on the long stretch of abandoned road ahead, letting Garrus press buttons and flip switches on the console. Most of them did nothing – one of them made a horrible shrieking noise come out of the speakers, which Shepard explained was a popular type of music among young Earthlings. Garrus quickly pressed that button again, making the noise stop. He wasn't sure what they had been yelling about, but it certainly didn't seem to be something worth putting out through airwaves.

Sighing, Garrus leaned back in his seat. "I give up." It was then that he noticed it – a small switch near Shepard's knee. He reached out, flicking the switch. Shepard jumped at his sudden proximity, eyes turning to him in surprise. "What the hell are you-"

The car seemed to shudder and a loud screech filled the car. Shepard slammed on the breaks, jolting both herself and Garrus against the seatbelts. The car continued to shake and moan – and then the top lifted up, up, and off.

Wide eyed, Garrus turned in his seat to see the hardtop being retracted into the back of the vehicle. Shepard looked just as startled, but also thrilled. She let out a triumphant whoop of glee. "It's a convertible!"

Garrus didn't even want to ask. The vehicle has just lost its roof to some pit inside the car – but Shepard was laughing like mad and that made Garrus laugh, too. The two of them sat there, idling in the road, laughing hysterically.

…

"Kentucky!" Shepard exclaimed as they rolled past a sign that had lost most of its color. "This place is famous for its horses," she said, pointing out her side of the car. The evening air was warm, dark and moist but Garrus could still make out the large animals grazing in the field.

"What are they used for?" Garrus asked, intrigued. It was quite fascinating seeing a new planet like this. They weren't here searching for mineral deposits or beacons or crash sites… simply driving. Garrus had never thought sitting in a cramped vehicle that smelled like chemicals and gasoline would be fun. But this, being with Shepard and seeing her unwind – this was fun.

"Well, they are used for riding or pulling. They are pack animals, or pets, or sometimes showmen. They have this big race every year where about 20 horses race around a big track and people bet on which one will win."

Garrus frowned. "What is the point?"

Shepard snorted. "Well, it's more of a fashion statement then anything. It used to be about the money and the horses, but now people mainly go for bragging rights. More of the rich getting richer stuff."

Garrus nodded, wishing he hadn't brought it up. Shepard's mouth was tugging into the same frown she had this morning at breakfast. He opened his mouth to attempt changing the subject when something big and wet plopped onto his face.

Shepard let out a strangled yelp, alerting Garrus that she must have felt it, too. "Rain!" she exclaimed, reaching for the switch at her knee. She flipped it quickly, already shaking at the cold raindrops falling onto her.

Nothing happened.

Garrus growled in frustration, attempting the switch. The car made a keening noise, and the back of the trunk lifted up slightly – but the roof did not return.

The rain was becoming harder as it pounded down on them. Shepard was shivering in her thin clothing. "Garrus," she called over the howl of the storm quickly approaching, "I think we should find a motel or something!"

"Agreed!" Garrus called back, feeling awful for Shepard. She looked like she was freezing to death.

Luckily they came across a quaint barrack-style inn a few miles down the road. Shepard pulled the car into a parking spot with a covered awning over it. She called for Garrus to grab the bags and follow her before she turned and ran toward the front door.

Garrus met Shepard in the lobby where the woman was holding a keycard and shivering. "I-is one room, two beds okay w-with you?" she asked through chattering teeth.

Garrus smiled. "It's fine. Let's get you dry." He led his commander toward the stairs, Shepard muttering something about 'room 215' and 'hot shower.'

They made it to their room without incident and Garrus let Shepard commandeer the bathroom so she could get warmed up. Garrus settled on one of the beds, enjoying the relatively firm mattress. _This definitely beats sleeping outside_, Garrus thought.

But then the bathroom door opened and a red-faced Shepard poked her head out. "Uh, Garrus… I need my bag. With clothes."

Garrus was so glad he couldn't blush or else he was sure he would. _Maybe sleeping outside is better…_ "Oh… oh, right, um… your bag. Clothes… you need those." He fumbled with their bags, finally grabbing hers. He slowly stepped toward her, head tilted to the side and away. "Here," he offered, thrusting the bag in her general direction.

"Thanks," she mumbled, seeming just as embarrassed, before grabbing the bag and disappeared behind the door again.

Garrus sighed deeply, going back to the bed. This was definitely awkward now. His CO was in the next room, naked, and he was here… thinking about her being in the next room… naked…

_Pull yourself together! _Garrus chided himself. _You're too old for this childish shit! I'm sure there is nothing fascinating under the clothes – just round, soft fleshy things._

And then the door opened again and Shepard emerged. She was wearing a pair of black, lacey looking things covering her lower half and upper half. Well, covering wasn't quite the word to use… Garrus could easily see the curve of Shepard's shapely rear and breasts just barely hidden.

He could tell Shepard was embarrassed by the way she half-skipped to the vacant bed, as if she was trying to run slowly. The hopping only made her round, soft fleshy _things_ bounce in a strangely attractive way…

"O-okay, I am going to be in the bathroom," Garrus said quickly, getting to his feet. "I, uh, I'm going to turn the light off. Don't want to give you nightmares about Turians without armor," he tried to joke lamely.

He flipped the light switch and disappeared into the bathroom, feeling his heart thudding in his chest. _Holy shit, Garrus, _he thought, staring at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. _You cannot do this. You cannot be attracted to Shepard. There are so many levels of how wrong that would be._

Sighing, Garrus sank onto the toilet seat, hand buried in his hands. _Dad was right… I am a bad Turian._

* * *

Author's Note:

I love writing awkward scenes! :) How was the second chapter? Let me know in the reviews!

**And to answer Red Lilles' question**: The car is based off of a 1967 Ford Mustang GT hardtop convertible. However, this is a car from around 2080, so it's some kind of futuristic version of the GT. We'll be getting into more with the car as the trip progresses. :)

Thanks for reading!

E.


	3. Low Rider

**Chapter Three**

**Low Rider**

* * *

**Day 3**

Shepard was sure it was close to dawn by now. It had to be. There was no logical way that the sun wasn't about to come up at any second…

She almost called up her omni-tool to check the time, but was worried the light might wake up Garrus. He had been asleep ever since his head hit the pillow – the sound of his steady breathing was the only thing relaxing about the room.

The bed, for one, was too firm. The pillows were too flat. Her hip hurt, _and_ _holy crap I am in the same room as a naked Turian!_

Well, she didn't know for sure if he was naked; he had turned the light off and she had faced the wall ever since he came out. She couldn't believe that she was nervous having him in the same room as her. This was the same Turian she fell asleep next to comfortably last night!

As slowly and silently as she could, Shepard rolled onto her other side. She was careful not to look over at Garrus' bed, just in case he was naked and not covered. Instead she glanced at the holo clock on the bedside between them. The blinking orange numbers seemed to taunt her.

1:23 am.

Shepard felt her heart sinking. That was it? She'd been lying in bed for under an hour? How was this even possible?

Shepard rolled onto her back, muttering, "I hate hotels."

"Agreed."

Shepard nearly jumped out of her skin at the docile harmonics of Garrus' voice. "Are you awake?" she ventured gently, sounding embarrassed. "I'm sorry if I woke you up."

Garrus chuckled, the vibrato in his voice soothing. "No, I've been awake then entire time, too."

Shepard turned back toward the Turian, peering at his shadowy shape. The darkened room and her human eyesight made it hard to pinpoint, but she thought he was smiling at her. "So, what should we do about this?"

Garrus appeared to shrug before murmuring, "Do you think…"

"Hmmm?" Shepard groused, propping her head up on her hand.

Garrus chuckled softly before responding, "Never mind. Change of subject: what do you think Joker has gotten himself into?"

Shepard snorted. "He's either having the time of his life or he's in a ditch somewhere. Here's to hoping it's the former; I don't think Alliance brass would be too pleased with us leaving him to his own devices if it's the latter."

Garrus thrummed his agreement and the room fell silent again. The cicadae outside buzzed loudly, a reminder of the previous night spent outdoors under the stars.

"I'm just going to say this and get it out there," Garrus finally alleged, sounding amused. "I am exceedingly uncomfortable being so close and yet so far away from you."

Shepard let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "I know what you mean." Shepard got to her feet, moving the cheap bedside table out of the way. She then pushed her bed over toward Garrus', the wood legs making a horrible screeching noise at the movement. Shepard plopped back into bed, snuggling under the covers. The bed already felt a million times more comfortable.

Shepard felt Garrus chuckle silently before turning to face her. "Much better."

Shepard nodded before yawning. "Just remember, if I catch you copping a feel, you're losing a hand."

Garrus laughed. "You're safe with me, Shepard."

Shepard's eyes slowly drifted closed. "I know," she whispered, more to herself than him.

…

Garrus awoke in a painfully awkward position.

At first, he thought he had gotten his leg wrapped up in sheets. Sleepily, he reached down to pull the clingy blanket off. Instead of the fabric, his three-fingered hand enclosed on a firm, muscled thigh. Garrus' eyes shot open and he tried to quickly and quietly take in his surroundings.

He was still in the hotel room, so there was that. The pillow was still under his head, though the pillowcase showed signs of his talons ripping the thin fabric at some point through the night. And then… he looked down and saw the leg.

It was slightly tanned and obviously human. Garrus felt something very akin to horror creep up inside him. _Oh Spirits, she is going to kill me if she wakes up to this…_

Garrus gently raised himself up and turned his head, glancing behind him just to be sure. There was his Commander, her human face and body coiled around him, her mouth parted slightly in sleep. The black strap of her bra had slipped down her arm, and Garrus could now see small, dark brown splotches along her shoulders. As he took in all of these small details about the Commander, she began to stir.

_Kill me now. _ Garrus quickly disentangled himself from her limb, trying to be as careful as possible not to poke her with his knee spurs or jutting hipbones. The thin Turian pants he wore to bed were not designed to protect humans from harm.

Glancing down, he also noticed they weren't designed to hide _excitement_, either. Embarrassed was nowhere close to what he was feeling right now… mortification might have been pretty accurate, but still not quite strong enough.

The Commander's stirring became more aggressive – her arms stretched out above her head and she let out a strange, strangled noise. Any second she would be opening her eyes to see her best friend standing above her with a raging erec–

Garrus turned and did the only thing he could think of – he fled to the bathroom and locked the door behind him.

Breathing deeply, Garrus counted backwards from twenty. He couldn't help the fact that, in his sleep, he had mistaken him very human commander for a female Turian. He couldn't help the fact that his body reacted…

But Garrus also couldn't help the fact that he knew, deep down, it wasn't a faceless female Turian that had riled him up.

He heard Shepard moving around in the bed now – she was yawning and grumbling. Then she stood, or so it sounded, and padded closer and closer…

There was a knock on the bathroom door. "Garrus?" Shepard asked, her voice laced sleep. "Are you in there?"

Garrus glanced down at his nether regions; there hadn't been much change in his current situation.

"Garrus?" Shepard asked again. Her voice sounded a bit concerned now. She jiggled the handle and then sighed. "Seriously, Garrus, are you okay?"

"Y-yeah," Garrus stumbled over his words, panic making his throat thick. "I'm just, uh…" his brain seemed to shut off, all of the blood in his body being redirected as it was.

He heard Shepard laugh from the other side of the door. "God, Garrus, just say you're taking a shit. Hurry it up, though, I really need to pee."

And that was that – Shepard walked back toward the beds, still chuckling, and left Garrus to silently thank the Spirits.

…

"50,000 credits."

Shepard nearly spit her coffee on the mechanic in front of her. She remembered to swallow before sputtering, "What? I only paid 1,500 credits for the entire car!"

The mechanic looked at her balefully. "Lady, you only paid 1,500 credits for the car 'cause it's a piece of junk. It's miraculous the damn thing made it this far 'thout exploding." He glanced over toward the Turian in the blue face paint before adding, "I'll knock it down to 10,000 credits if I can get that alien armor in the trunk."

It was Shepard's turn to look menacing. "That armor is easily worth more than this entire lot. Now why don't you explain to me why it is you're going to charge me 50,000 credits to get the roof back on?"

The mechanic shrugged. "Alright, let me put it in layman's terms for ya, lady. You got a hardtop convertible. Follow me?" he asked condescendingly. Shepard narrowed her eyes, which the mechanic took to mean 'yes.' "All right. Now these hardtops are mean sonsabitches. The whole way this works is that the trunk pulls upward, exposin' a cabin on the underbelly of the car. The top folds in on panels, see, and gets sucked on down into the cabin. Then the trunk plops back down and you go on your merry way."

Shepard nodded. "Okay. So explain to me why I have to pay 50,000 for you to fix that."

The mechanic sighed heavily, as if he was speaking with the most idiotic person he'd ever met. "Maybe I should talk to your boyfriend. That is a boy, ain't it? Can never tell with those aliens."

Garrus glanced up from where he had been perusing the junk heap nearby. He pointed to his chest comically, as if caught off guard. Shepard cracked a smile. "Believe me, you'll want to talk to me."

The mechanic raised an eyebrow but shrugged it off. "I'm gonna have to basically tear the entire back end of this thing off. Not to mention I don't have parts for something this old. I'll have to order the parts and pay a shit-ton of money. This is an old-as-dirt Mustang GT. No one but serious collectors have the 2087 parts anymore. But if you're lookin' to save some change, I can try to build a new contraption from scraps."

"How long would these options take?" Shepard asked, sighing.

"Well… the parts would take at least a week to get in. Rebuilding would be about two weeks."

Garrus stepped closer, looking over at Shepard. "We don't have that kind of time. Should we just buy a new one?" he ventured.

Shepard shook her head vehemently. "No, I want this one… we just need to improvise."

The mechanic raised an eyebrow. "Improvise? What do you plan on doin', strapping a tarp to the top of the car and drivin' around like that?" The mechanic and Garrus saw the gleam in Shepard's eye and knew that was exactly what she planned on doing. Sighing, the mechanic grumbled, "Go take a look inside. I'm sure we got something you can use for struts to support the damn thing, too."

…

It took close to the entire day to get the car in working order again. Shepard and Garrus stepped back to admire their handiwork. The once blue (now so rusted and worn it was hard to determine the color) vehicle now featured silver scrap metal support struts for a roof. This was covered with clear, rubbery polyurethane sheeting.

"I haven't seen many Earth vehicles," Garrus began, "but I am pretty sure this is the ugliest in existence."

Shepard was grinning like a schoolgirl. "This is the best thing I've ever done with my hands." At Garrus' questioning look, she added, "Well, okay, maybe not the best. But this is pretty cool."

Her smile was infectious. Garrus returned her grin before opening the driver's side door for her. "What do you say we get out of Kentucky?"

Shepard slid behind the driver's seat. "I concur."

…

They drove through a good portion of the night, even though Garrus had attempted to convince Shepard to pull over a handful of times. She kept waving her hand vaguely, muttering about wanting to get to some place called 'Branson' by tomorrow afternoon.

"Where are we, anyway?" Garrus grumbled. One thing about Turian is they liked to have a regular sleep schedule. Humans, obviously, were not so inclined.

"Missouri," Shepard responded, nodding her head while she hummed to herself. Garrus could tell she has an untrained voice, but the sound of it soothed his grouchiness. "Branson will have some stuff for you, by the way. The city became a huge tourist trap for intergalactic species wanting to see what the human's 'Wild West' was all about. The saddest part is, Branson is nothing close to the wild west - it's a mountain town. But oh well, the aliens don't know the difference."

"Wild West?" Garrus repeated.

Shepard grinned. "Remember that vid Joker, Ash and I made you watch with us? The one with the gunslingers and weird clothing?"

Garrus chuckled. He hadn't thought about that in a while. If he remembered correctly, the Commander and Ashley had gotten pretty drunk on levo-tequilla and began singing the lines halfway through the movie. "I remember. The "You're not wearing a bustle" one, right?"

Shepard's laughter was close to a cackle. "You remember that?"

Garrus grinned. "Only because you and Ashley kept singing the line over and over. And then Joker attempted to find out if Ashley was wearing a bustle. And no one would tell me what a bustle was, either."

Shepard was certainly cackling now. "Oh God, that's right… shit, I had the worst headache the next morning." Her laughter slowly died, and she added somberly, "We've never talked about it. You know… Ash."

Garrus felt the mood shift dramatically. Shepard's tone was still amicable, but he felt the sadness radiating off of her. "She was one of a kind," Garrus murmured softly.

Shepard nodded. "Damn right she was. I still think about her… I've almost sent her a message about four times since she died," she added, a mirthless laugh slipping out. "I just… I miss her. I haven't cleaned out her footlocker, you know. I haven't had the heart to… to touch her things."

Shepard's right hand was on her thigh, the fingers curling in on themselves. Garrus reached out hesitantly, covering her hand with his. Her fingers shifted and her hand was gripping his in an instant. The five fingers seemed so strange around his three, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Garrus squeezed her hand gently, rumbling low, "You don't have to do it alone, you know. If you need me to help you…" he then broke off before adding quickly, "or Kaiden would help, I am sure. He was close with Ashley…"

Shepard nodded, eyes never leaving the road. After a few moments, she murmured, "Just between you and me… I'd rather have you there with me."

He watched her out of the corner of his eye, amazed by her strength. Squeezing her hand gently again, he intoned, "I'll be there, no matter what."

* * *

Author's Note:

Woohoo, another chapter done! How'd you like it? Let me know in the comments! Next chapter will feature a fun day at Branson and may or may not include getting a Turian drunk. Heheh. :)

Love love,

E.


	4. Roll Away Your Stone

**Chapter 4**

**Roll Away Your Stone**

* * *

Branson was a smorgasbord of things; Shepard had always overheard stories about it when she was a kid. She would overhear conversations of wealthy women shopping, gossiping about the new and scandalous things Branson was adding to the town. _A giant holographic ape that swings from the Marquise Hotel, you say? How utterly frivolous! _

As a child, Shepard would go to bed at night, huddled with other street rats and urchins, and dream of this magical place. Anything could happen in Branson – the lights never went off there. The music was as eclectic as it was unusual. The fashion was futuristic vogue and always over the top. She wouldn't have to beg and steal and sleep on the streets in Branson… but she had never made it there.

Had Garrus known this was a childhood fantasy about to come true, he might have been a little nicer about being woken up at 7 am. As it was, he was prodded into wakefulness by an utterly gleeful Shepard. "Come on, let's get breakfast! I have the perfect spot picked out!"

Garrus grumbled, grabbing a few packs of food to take along. He got out of the cramped car, which he had been forced to sleep in through the night drive, and glanced around. He blinked a few times, sure that his eyes were playing tricks on him.

They were in a paved parking lot, as he expected. What he did not expect was the sheer amount of hover vehicles in the parking lot. Not to mention the droves of asari that seemed to flock toward the restaurant. A handful of turians and salarians were milling about, though they seemed to be drowning in a crowd of blue faces. There were hardly any humans to speak of.

Garrus glanced over at Shepard who looked pleased at his surprise. "I told you Branson caters to the intergalactic species. Come on; I am starving and I am sure you are ready for a real meal."

Garrus tossed his packaged food back into the car before quickly following after Shepard. She wasn't hard to keep up with – she was one of the only humans, for one, and her shimmering hair was like a beacon in the sun.

Inside, the restaurant was full of bric-a-brac. There were all kinds of strange looking, wooden contraptions hanging from the walls and ceiling. A few of the items looked extremely dangerous, too. And then there was the staff, which seemed to move through the chaos of people and hanging deathtraps in ease. They were all human; all in good physical condition, young, fresh-faced, and wearing frilly orange aprons.

"There's no way we're getting a table here," Garrus murmured to Shepard. "It will be dinner before we get seated."

Shepard grinned coyly. "Ye of little faith," she intoned. Shepard walked right up to the hostess and murmured, "I made a reservation – it's under the name Shepard."

The hostess' eyes were as big as saucers. "Oh my goodness, they told us you were coming but we didn't know for sure…" her voice trailed off before she giggled. "Can I get your autograph on my apron, Commander?"

Shepard was never that great with fans, but she offered a patient smile and took the offered marker, signing her name neatly on the orange apron. "Now, how about that table?"

The girl smiled charmingly, grabbing two menus and bobbing in a small curtsy. "Right this way, folks!"

Garrus shook his head in mild disbelief before following the women toward their reserved table. The wood table was in the back corner, overlooking the beautiful mountain range. It was also, Garrus noticed, the most secluded table in the place.

"Your server will be right with you!" the hostess chirped before turning back to her post by the door.

"You reserved a table?" Garrus asked in disbelief, taking a seat in one of the chairs.

Shepard laughed, moving her chair closer to his so that she could look out the window, as well. "Sure. I called about two hours ago."

Garrus made a strangled noise in the back of his throat. "Meaning, you called in and mentioned you were a Council Spectre and savior of the Citadel. Then they scurried to get the best table secured for you, probably paying off whoever had reserved this spot three weeks ago."

Shepard grinned. "Hey, why not use the perks while I've got them?"

Garrus chuckled. "You're bad."

A young human came to the table, looking flustered. Her cheeks flushed, she murmured, "Welcome to Billy Gail's Café, my name is Alisha. Can I get some drinks started for you?"

Watching Shepard in restaurants was fascinating. She had the smoothest smile and demeanor Garrus had ever seen. Her patience would put the Spirits to shame. "I'll have a glass of orange juice, please," she was saying, voice soothing.

The girl nodded, writing on her notepad. "And you, sir?"

Garrus glanced at the menu, glad to see sections for dextro's in both Turian and Quarian. He ordered a simple glass of gerdenk, a popular morning drink that most resembled levo-coffee. The girl nodded, writing it down, before offering them a hesitant smile. "I'll be back with your drinks in a moment."

After she left, Garrus glanced around at the surrounding tables. A lot of the other occupants were glancing over at them; a few even looked like they were taking pictures on their omni-tools.

"I think you've been recognized, Shepard," Garrus murmured in an undertone.

Shepard smiled. "I actually think it's you they recognize. What with the armor and face paint, it would be hard not to," she added, winking. "Maybe we should go shopping for some civilian clothes for you after breakfast? I am sure they have a million shops between here and Stone Hill."

"Stone Hill?" Garrus repeated questioningly.

"Mmmhmm," Shepard nodded. "It's a winery. They specialize in Turian stills." She wiggled her eyebrows with a grin, which made Garrus smirk.

"Trying to get me drunk, Commander?"

Shepard grinned. "No comment?"

Their waitress returned with the drinks. "Alright, what are we going to be eating today?"

Garrus had been so caught up in his banter with Shepard that he'd forgotten to look at the menu. He scanned over the food section while Shepard ordered. When the waitress turned to him, he ordered the first thing that looked mildly appetizing. It was a Palaven favorite; stewed vakleb meat drizzled in honeyed pepper sauce. It had been quite a while since Garrus had eaten anything so _turian._

Shepard was staring at Garrus strangely after the waitress left the table. "You know," she began slowly, "I have determined that there is one huge flaw in our friendship."

Garrus swallowed a gulp of his scalding drink, unsure where this was going. "And that would be…?"

Shepard paused for a moment, seeming to contemplate. "We can't eat the same foods."

Garrus laughed, feeling suddenly relieved. "That's the major flaw?"

Shepard shrugged, sipping her orange juice with a smile. "Yeah. Otherwise, we're pretty much flawless together."

…

The Stone Hill Winery was even larger and more cavernous than Shepard had expected. It was also filled to the brimming with asari, all in varying states of drunkenness. Shepard rolled her eyes at the lovely ladies fluttering their hands around in the air, moving provocatively, and chatting loudly. _So much for poised, _Shepard though, rolling her eyes. _ I should send a picture of this to Liara – she would be mortified. _

Garrus seemed to be lollygagging behind, looking at all of the wines stored on racks and up for display and purchase. Shepard waited for him to rejoin her, and when he did, she grabbed his hand. "Let's hurry, they're starting a tour."

"Tour?" Garrus asked, mandibles flaring. "I thought we were here to drink!"

Shepard snorted back her laughter. "You need to go on a tour first. They'll bore us to death for about 30 minutes, then get us nice and tipsy, then send us out to buy tons of wine."

Garrus chuckled as Shepard led him into a dark, cold room that felt like a cellar. There were seats lined up around the room and a projection drone humming idly in the center of the room. Garrus and Shepard found two seats unoccupied and sat down.

"You sound like you've done this a few times," Garrus murmured, leaning in close to Shepard so that they were not overheard. He caught her scent, so familiar but still exotic. Females of his own species only carried a scent when they were ready to mate.

Shepard turned to him, her lips close to his ear. "A few. I was a bad kid before I joined up with the Alliance," she whispered, voice laced with something Garrus couldn't quite place. What he could place, however, is how her breath on his skin made something inside of him flare to life.

Garrus swallowed, trying to remember what they were talking about. "You were? I've never seen anything about your childhood on the vids."

Shepard only smiled, returning, "Maybe you can get me drunk enough to tell you about it." She pulled away right as the projector drone lit up, casting a bright vid projection on the wall.

…

Garrus opened the door just in time for Shepard to go barreling into the hotel room, her laughter seeming to make her lightheaded. "And so then," she continued with her story, cheeks flushed, "Kaiden is standing over this smoking hole in the deck, like he's trying to figure out how to tell Anderson he'd just killed me _and_ ruined the Crew Quarters!"

Garrus couldn't help laughing a bit louder than was necessary. This wine was something else… The pair had downed every sample the winery attendants had been offered to them, and then went on to buy three bottles of wine for each of them.

They spent the afternoon and evening walking down the streets of Branson, swigging wine and comparing war stories. They even went shopping, finding Garrus new civilian clothes and Shepard a pair of odd things called sunglasses that looked like a darkened visor.

They finally found themselves outside of a fantastic hotel on a hill, surrounded by ponds and a small waterfall. "It reminds me of where I was born," Garrus had said, gaping at the lush green landscaping and the rushing water.

"Then this is where we sleep," Shepard had alleged, scampering up the hill toward the hotel.

They had decided to bunk together again and, to Garrus' surprise, Shepard requested a single bed. It made sense, seeing as they ended up sleeping together last time… but the implications of _one bed_ were pretty obvious.

To everyone except Shepard, anyway. She seemed to not notice the curious glance the lady behind the desk gave them, as if wondering how that kind of relationship worked.

Garrus had thought about confronting Shepard about it. This trip was messing up his feelings and he wasn't sure if it was legitimate or not. He knew he shouldn't feel amorously toward his commanding officer. He knew that she was probably uninterested in having a turian lover. Not to mention they were best friends… why put that to risk when they worked so perfectly together?

Garrus took a long swig of his dextro wine, grimacing at the slightly harsh aftertaste. "What about Kaiden, Shepard?" Garrus said suddenly, surprising even himself.

Shepard flung herself onto the bed, her wine bottle left on the night stand. "What about him?" she asked, stretching out. Garrus watched her shirt ride up over her lean stomach and knew what came out next would be a mistake.

"Have you two ever been close?"

Shepard tilted her head to the side. She didn't bother to readjust her shirt. "What do you mean?" she asked, seeming genuinely confused.

"Have you fucked?"

Garrus wanted to take it back the second it left his mouth. Had he ever used that word? He was pretty sure he hadn't, and certainly not to a commanding officer, friend or otherwise. He took another swig of wine before collapsing into the chair by the window. He heard the faint gurgle of water from the pond outside and wished the floor could swallow him whole.

Shepard's face would be comical if Garrus wasn't worried she might shoot his kneecaps. Her eyes were wide and her mouth had dropped open. But then, suddenly, she was laughing. It was a high, keening laugh, as though she had just been told she'd won a vacation house on a planet of her choice.

"Well that's super personal," she snorted, grabbing her wine. She finished off the bottle before tossing it toward the trashcan. She missed horribly, but didn't seem to notice.

Garrus felt himself relax at her laughter, but he was still curious. "Well?"

Shepard sighed deeply, seeming vaguely annoyed. "This is silly. I don't want to talk about this."

Garrus shrugged. "He always seemed to have a thing for you. You too got pretty close there after Virmire…"

"Garrus, let's talk about something else," Shepard said, a bit more forceful this time.

Garrus came to sit beside Shepard on the bed, finishing off his wine. He was a bit startled by her lack on an answer to his questions… on top of that, her tone was sharper than he'd ever heard her use with him. He decided it was better to change the topic. "Shepard, how old are you?"

She glanced over at him, her right eyebrow raised, lips twitched into a half smile. "Why, Vakarian? Looking for a young human bride?" She smirked at his look of shock and added, "Twenty nine."

"Do you ever think about settling down?" he probed. "Maybe have little Shepards running around?"

Shepard shrugged. "I guess. Eventually. I don't know, Garrus. I just… I feel like it would be selfish to replicate little copies of me, when there are so many orphans out there… on the street."

Garrus caught the shift in her tone. He reached out, taking her hand in his. She held his hand tightly and murmured, "I used to run in a gang when I was younger." Her voice was low, almost conspiratorial. "There was really no choice back then. If you were born in the slums, you either died fighting it or joined it. After my mom died, I…" her voice faltered. "I relied on the others. They took care of me… for a cut of my profits. But it was the only family I really grew up knowing."

"I didn't know," Garrus whispered.

Shepard nodded. "The Alliance brass wanted it that way. They sealed my records. No one wanted it to get out that I had a rap sheet back on Earth."

"A rap sheet?"

Shepard pulled her hand gently away from Garrus, only to turn her arm upward. It was then that Garrus saw them – two small tattoos were scratched into the underside of her right bicep. They were both identical, featuring some kind of square shape with strange letters surrounding it.

"It's a prison stamp," she confided. "I was taken in for assault on an officer here," she pointed to the top one, "and then attempted murder here." Her finger lowered to the second tattoo. Her voice was level, lacking any real emotion. "A third one meant I was in for life."

Garrus couldn't pretend that he wasn't surprised to learn this. He would have never expected this out from his controlled, patient Commander. He gently reached out, touching the smooth scar tissue of the tattoos. "You were young and did what you had to," Garrus murmured.

Shepard smiled softly. "Yeah. I keep thinking if I tell myself that long enough, I might start to believe it." She stood, wandering into the bathroom, and started the shower without another word.

Garrus turned off the lights and began to get ready for bed. He changed quickly into his night pants, putting his civilian clothes in a neat pile on the nightstand. He sank into the bed, trying not to worry about Shepard's last words.

When Shepard finished with her shower, she slipped into bed and immediately curled herself against Garrus. She must have felt him stiffen because she murmured, "I want to believe I am a good person. I want to atone for the things I have done."

Garrus turned and wrapped her in his arms, holding her close. He felt her shoulders shudder and heard the telltale sniffles of a crying woman. Instead of feeling uncomfortable, Garrus tightened his grip, running his two fingers through her tangled, wet hair. "You are the best damn person I have ever met, Shepard. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Shepard's sniffles turned into a giggle as she whispered, "I just realized… I am sounding a lot like Kaiden right now."

Garrus groaned. "Please never say that when I am hugging you."

Shepard's laughter filled the room as she snuggled closer into him, her head cradled against his chest.

* * *

Author's Note:

Fluff, fluff, fluffy fluff!

If you couldn't tell, I'm not a huge fan of Kaiden. He seems too weird and whiny to me, so I always try and poke fun at him gently. :)

The next stop will be Deadwood, South Dakota! Gambling and fireworks galore! Please leave a review and let me know how you liked the chapter!

Love love,

E.


	5. The Sound of Silence

**Chapter 5**

**The Sound of Silence**

* * *

Garrus awoke to the sound of his omni-tool buzzing. His earpiece chirped, alerting him that it was an incoming call. Groggily, Garrus glanced around the room; it looked serene, bathed in afternoon sunlight... except for the bed. The coverlet had been haphazardly shoved to the bottom of the mattress, the sheet a tangled mess around Shepard's still sleeping body.

Groaning, Garrus reached up and pressed the small receiver on the earpiece, accepting the call. "Vakarian," he grumbled. It had been a long time since he'd had enough alcohol to make him this hung over.

"Would you mind telling Shepard to answer her damn pings?"

Garrus blinked, confused. "Who is this?"

There was an exasperated sigh from the other end. "It's Kaiden. I've been trying to get a hold of Shepard."

Garrus nodded before realizing the other man couldn't see him. "Uh, sure, once I see her I'll let her know."

There was a long silence from the other end before Kaiden muttered acidly, "Right." The line disconnected.

Garrus sighed, not wanting to wake Shepard but feeling like it may be something important. He gently reached out, shaking her shoulder. "Hey... Shepard?"

Shepard groaned softly, rolling onto her back. Her eyelids slid open and he was met with the most disoriented, but startling beautiful, pair of human eyes. She grinned at him, reaching up to rub at her eyes. "Morning," she greeted.

"Kaiden called me," Garrus told her. "He said he's been trying to reach you through pings all morning."

Shepard's smile turned into something that could only be described as a pout. "What does he want? And how did he know you were with me?" she added, almost as an afterthought. She pulled up her omni-tool's interface, glancing over her messages. "Damn, he wasn't kidding about trying to reach me all morning."

She tapped a few things into the omni-tool - Garrus was guessing a reply message to Kaiden. Right after sending it, her omni-tool lit up with a call. Shepard rolled her eyes, grabbed her earpiece from the bedside table, and murmured, "Good morning, Kaiden."

"Good morning?" Kaiden repeated. "It's afternoon in the northern hemisphere. What have you been doing?"

Shepard frowned. He sounded pissed. "Sleeping. It's shore leave, I'm entitled to some rest, right?"

Kaiden scoffed on the other end. His voice seemed to be rising. "Look, Shepard, I don't know what you're playing at with this publicity stunt-"

Shepard's calm and collected interior was beginning to chip away at his tone. "What, pray tell, publicity stunt are you talking about?"

Kaiden's laugh was sour. "No kidding, you've been pulling millions of them."

"Look, Kaiden, spit it out or I am hanging up." Shepard saw Garrus' eyes narrow at her tone. He could tell she was losing her temper.

Kaiden took a deep breath, as if he was trying to compose himself. "Your picture has been all over the news vids today, Shepard. Pictures of your vacation on Earth."

Shepard sighed. "Okay...and?"

"Look, you might not care how driving around Earth with a turian might look to others, but I do! You're jeopardizing your Spectre status and Humanity's image! The turians don't like this any more than the humans do, so just cut your losses and drop the act."

Shepard sat in shell-shocked silence for a moment. "There is no act, Kaiden. Friends go on vacation together all the time."

She heard Kaiden let out a few choice curses before growling, "Last I checked, friends don't share a King-size bed in their hotel room, Shepard." He let that sink in before adding in a more gentle tone, "Look, I got a call from Udina this morning, requesting I reel you in. I'm flying into Vancouver tonight. I am asking you to not make this harder than it already is... meet me in Vancouver tomorrow morning."

The call dropped. Shepard looked up at Garrus, whose face was a careful neutral. "Well," she began softly, "it seems like we've caused quite the fuss."

Shepard's omni-tool buzzed again, but this time with a ping. Shepard pulled up the message and murmured, "Kaiden sent us a vid. He wants to meet us in Vancouver and take us back to the Citadel." She moved so that Garrus had access to see the file as she pulled it up. "Evidently, rumors are flying about us." The file buffered swiftly before displaying a self-satisfied reporter Shepard was all too familiar with.

"Good morning, galaxy; Khalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani with Westerlund News reporting. We've all heard the rumors circulating about Commander Shepard, savior of the Citadel and the first human Spectre. Has she really been seen cavorting around Earth with a turian lover? These shocking photos seem to be all the proof we need. Special thanks to all of our viewer submissions; you've caught quite a few gems."

Al-Jilani's face faded and was replaced with photos of, sure enough, Shepard and Garrus. There were all from yesterday, it seemed; there was a picture of Shepard signing the waitress' apron, another was of Shepard and Garrus having breakfast, sitting close together and looking out over the Ozark mountain range. A few photos filtered by of them drinking wine at Stone Hill, and then more of their drunken merrymaking in the streets of Branson. The final photo showcased Garrus holding a hotel room door open for a laughing Shepard. It looked like it had been pulled straight from a security camera.

Shepard shut off the vid before al-Jilani could say any more. She glanced up at Garrus who seemed just as abashed as she felt. "I am so sorry," Shepard murmured.

Garrus shrugged. "I can see why Kaiden was angry. It is kind of a blow to his pride, after all."

Shepard raised an eyebrow. "Come again?"

Garrus' mouth quirked into a grin. "Well now it's public knowledge that I am better looking."

Shepard laughed, seeming startled and impressed at his lack of concern. "Are you sure... you're not mad? What about your family?"

Garrus shrugged, leaning back against the headboard. "My family already thinks I am a failure as a turian. And I'm not mad. Hell, I thought we looked good together... happy," he amended, suddenly embarrassed. "So who cares what everyone else says? They can't revoke your Spectre status because you are allegedly having a relationship with another species."

Shepard smiled faintly. "Yeah... plus, it pisses Udina off," she added, making Garrus chuckle. She climbed out of the bed, standing awkwardly in her underwear. "I'm going to take a shower. Want to head out in thirty minutes?"

Garrus nodded. "To hell with Kaiden," he said with a grin. "We'll get to Vancouver when we damn well feel like it."

...

"Now _this_ is the Wild West," Shepard alleged proudly as they rolled in the desert mountain town of Deadwood. "This is where Wild Bill Hickok lost his life, you know." Garrus' expression of bewilderment earned another grin from the commander. "He was a gunslinger in weird clothing," she explained. "He came here to start panning for gold in the river, ended up getting sloppy drunk every night playing poker."

"Is gambling that much of a problem with humans?" he asked, seeming intrigued. "I heard your species never does things in moderation, but I didn't quite believe it. Then again, you're one of the few humans I've known well enough to study."

Shepard cruised down Main Street, the open windows whipping her loose hair around her face. Her sunglasses, large dark lenses as big as dell eyes, made it hard to distinguish her expression. She seemed to be pleased with his assessment, though, and retorted, "Well, when I was younger I believed I was entitled to do things in excess. It always ended up biting me in the ass, though. So, I decided to slow it down and moderate. Now I'm exactly where I want to be."

Garrus chuckled. "Did you ever think you would become a Spectre?"

Shepard snorted. "You kidding me? Even when Anderson told me I was being evaluated, I thought there was no way in hell I had any chance. Not to mention a turian was evaluating me... no offense," she added with a grin.

Garrus shrugged. "I won't deny our kinds still have problems playing nice. I guess that's why everyone is so up in arms over us."

Shepard nodded briefly before turning the car into a parking lot. "We're here!" she announced, her enthusiasm seeming a little forced. "The Gem Theater. The best cards, drinks and women in Deadwood."

Garrus would have laughed if he hadn't spotted a young human woman hanging out of a window, blowing kisses at men as they walked by. "Shepard?" Garrus asked, making her name a question. He slowly stepped out of the car, seeming concerned. "Do I need to worry?"

Shepard's grin was ear-to-ear now. "Aww, Garrus, afraid of the ladies?"

Garrus followed Shepard into the saloon, through the garish décor and haze of perfume. Garrus, with his keen sense of smell, could distinguish each and every different chemical production scenting the human women's bodies. They were dressed quite provocatively, skirts held high and cleavage nearly tumbling out of their tops.

"That," Shepard began, pointing to one woman's straining top, "is a corset and that," she added, pointing to the woman's expansive rear, "is a bustle."

Garrus' eyes widened. "Why would anyone wear something that did that?"

Shepard smirked. "Well, my turian friend, most human males find it attractive. At least, they did back in the ancient days." She winked before wandering over to a table where a group of turian tourists were playing poker. She hopped into one of the free seats, transferring credits onto the holographic table in front of her.

Garrus came to stand beside her, watching her keenly. She was dealt into the next game and coolly played her cards just right. She was a fantastic bluffer – she'd already won 1,500 credits just by gradually raising the table, nothing but a 7, 2 off suit in hand.

After a few games, she folded and nodded to the dealer, who released her winnings to her with a small smile. If Garrus had to guess, the dealer rarely saw another human have a better poker face than a table full of turians.

"Well, Garrus Vakarian, I think I just won our dinner money," Shepard grinned, a decided hop in her step. "What do you say we sample a few drinks?"

Garrus groaned. "After last night, a drink is the last thing on my mind. What else you got?"

"Lightweight," Shepard teased, flouncing out into the crowded street. The two walked together through throngs of tourists, window-shopping. It was becoming nightfall and Garrus' stomach was growling when Shepard stopped dead in her tracks.

"What is it?" Garrus asked, concern rising up.

Shepard got a mischievous grin. "Garrus… I want a few photos of us. Would you agree to that?"

Garrus knew there was something the commander was omitting. Her poker face was terrible when it came to him. "Why wouldn't I?" he asked cautiously.

Shepard looked impatient. "Yes or no?"

Garrus finally nodded. "Yes. I would agree to that."

Shepard's smile filled her face as she grabbed his arm, dragging him into a shopping outlet. "I knew you'd say yes. I can't help but think you're going to hate me when you see it, though."

"What are you talking about?"

Shepard didn't answer, just kept dragging him along. She finally came to a stop outside of a rustic looking shop. A strange arrangement of human letter spelled out something Garrus couldn't identify. What he could identify, however, were the numerous pictures in the shop window. All of these photos featured couples, groups, and friends posing in front of a saloon bar in the same strange attire he saw at The Gem.

"Era photos," Shepard grinned, seeming thrilled. "We dress up and they take our picture."

"Shepard, I take back everything I said about wanting to get our picture taken."

Shepard rolled her eyes. "Come on, you big baby. You'll look great. See, you're not the only turian who's been here," she added, pointing out numerous photos featuring his species.

"I am the only turian who helped defeat Saren, though," he added. "That needs to count for something."

Shepard gave him the same pouty lipped expression he'd seen earlier that morning. Garrus' fight died before it had even started; she was playing him like a fiddle, or whatever that strange human saying was.

"Alright," he sighed. "But you still owe me dinner."

"Done."

"_And_ dessert."

"Of course," Shepard agreed, her eyes dancing merrily.

…

"It's the best thing I've ever had," Shepard grinned, looking down at her copies of their photo shoot. The photographer had given her a digital copy as well as real film copies, which had cost more than Garrus could understand paying. _Not that Shepard is hurting for money_, he rationalized. And she did seem extremely pleased to have them.

"I look like a bumbling idiot," Garrus groaned, leaning in to take another look. The photo she had been looking at was one of the 'serious' ones – they had put on terse faces and posed strictly, just as the photographer had asked. Garrus had been shoved into a modified black suit that fit his turian form. He had also been equipped with a silver pocket watch and hat (also modified). He leaned against the bar, a fake cigar in one hand and a bottle of levo-whiskey in the other.

Shepard had been dressed in much the same way the Gem's ladies were dressed. Garrus had to admit, the bustle did look nice against her slim waist. The emerald green of her dress looked even better. She had been posed beside him, leaning provocatively against the bar.

"We make a damn good Wild West couple, Garrus," Shepard giggled, sipping her dessert coffee.

"You might make a good saloon girl," Garrus countered, taking another spoonful of his turian cream-based dessert, "but I look like a rock you dressed up in human clothes."

Shepard snorted. "Don't be such a spoilsport. I think you look fantastic." She tucked the photos safely into a carrying bag the photographer had given her. "So, hotel or car?"

Garrus moaned. "The car will never be an option ever again. You can't even imagine how hard it is to maneuver in those seats without dislocating a knee spur."

Shepard grimaced. "Point taken. Besides, I want to get an early start tomorrow. We have a long drive through no man's land."

Garrus smiled. "And then what?"

Shepard shrugged. "And then… we're in Seattle. Where I was born and raised. And nearly put to death," she added, smiling slightly.

Garrus reached out, his hand grazing against her arm. "Shepard… are you ready to see it again?"

Shepard nodded, though she didn't look so sure. "I need to… for closure. To prove I'm not who I was then."

Garrus nodded, pulling away from the Commander. Her face had gone wistful and she looked lost in her own thoughts as she paid for their meals. The two wandered back into the nearly empty street, ambling toward their parked car.

The Bullock Hotel stood grandly, boasting the same ancient décor that seemed to breathe through the town. Shepard had gone in alone to request a room, returning a few minutes later with a large, antique brass object.

"What is that?" Garrus asked, looking confused.

Shepard smiled. "It's a key. This is what we used to use before technology." The two grabbed their bags out of the car and went to the hotel's back entrance. They climbed up two flights of rickety stairs, leading to an ornate, but extremely old, hallway.

Shepard found their room, opening the door with the strange key. They entered the spacious quarters and Shepard instantly fell into bed, sprawled out over the whole mattress.

Garrus sat on the edge of the bed, watching her. "Tell me about this place," he prompted. She was usually bursting with information. Her silence this evening was disconcerting.

Shepard glanced over at him, her look amused. "Well… Bullock was the first lawman in Deadwood… like a C-Sec officer," she explained. "Before him, Deadwood didn't have anyone to put rules in place or enforce them. He brought civility to the town, which a lot of people thought couldn't be done.

"They say he still walks the halls," she added, her smile becoming more real. She was cheering herself up with storytelling. "His ghost, anyway. The guests and staff are always talking about new apparitions or paranormal activity."

Garrus chuckled. "Maybe we'll have a visitor tonight, then?"

Shepard laughed softly to herself. "Maybe. He's supposedly fond of the third floor." She rolled to the side, clearing enough room for Garrus to join her. He lowered himself onto the bed, facing her. "I am quite fond of you, Vakarian," she said finally, watching him intently.

Garrus felt his stomach flip-flop at her words. "I would certainly hope so, Commander. I would be concerned as to why you were bringing me along if you weren't." _Stupid, stupid¸ why in the hell did you say that? _he chided himself heatedly.

A strange look crossed Shepard's face and her smile looked a bit forced. "I guess you're right about that." She rolled onto her back, eyes closing. "I just meant… well." Her voice faded out and she chuckled gently. "Nevermind."

Garrus watched as she slowly slipped into a restless sleep, all the while wondering what she might have said if he hadn't made such a fool of himself.

* * *

Author's Note:

We're drawing toward the end! I am excited to see how you felt about this one. It was a bit slower, but I want to pace out their relationship until the end.

Also – not positive, but this story might be bumped up to an M later on… we'll just have to see how things play out. :)

Leave me some love in the comments!

Love love,

E.


	6. La Vie en Rose

**Chapter 6**

**La Vie en Rose**

* * *

Shepard had not been kidding about there being a long, boring drive ahead of them. They had woken up at four in the morning, and subsequently drove through a properly called 'no man's land.' There had been one extremely interesting thing in South Dakota, however. They came across strange statues, sitting alone in a pasture. From the road, the statues looked huge - and they had to have been a mile or more away.

"What are they?" Garrus asked.

Shepard pulled over onto the side of the road, getting out of the car. She took a quick picture with her omni-tool and scanned for matching results across the extranet. "Strange," she murmured, more to herself than him. "It looks like these were built a long, long time ago. Some guy who owned all of this land made all sorts of statues out of scrap metal. That one there," she pointed to the one with horns sticking out of the top, "is the head of an Egyptian bull. A pack animal," she added for clarification. "It's supposedly 25 tons and the size of a Mount Rushmore face."

"Mount Rushmore face?" It seemed like the more Shepard talked, the more confused Garrus became.

"Sorry. Um, there's a huge carving in a mountain, and it features the faces of the United States' founding forefathers. It's huge. Like, massive."

Garrus watched her closely to see if she was trying to trick him. It didn't seem like it, but she did have a wicked poker face. "Who would carve faces into a mountain?"

Shepard snorted. "Garrus, don't make fun of our history! It's symbolic."

"Of?" Garrus pressed.

Shepard shrugged. "I don't know... I guess, for me, it symbolizes human's will and ability to strike out on our own in search of a better life. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," she quoted, a smile slinking over her face.

Garrus still didn't think carving people's faces into a mountain was symbolic of all that, but what did he know? Shepard seemed to believe it and so he wouldn't judge. "Okay, so a bull head the size of a mountain face... got it. Now what about _that_ thing?"

Shepard laughed. "Well, that is a hammer. I am not sure why it is pink and yellow, or why there is a statue of it... but there you have it."

Garrus shook his head. "I still think you humans don't make sense."

"We're all crazy," she reminded, climbing back into the car. When Garrus rejoined her, she added, "Think of it this way: who's crazier - the human or the turian who is road-tripping with her?"

"Point taken," Garrus hummed.

Other than a few small stops at gas stations and diners, the two played what Shepard called 'road trip games' on the uneventful ride. The current game was the find letters of the human alphabet on the old billboards dotting the roads.

Shepard, of course, had the natural advantage. Garrus had to keep checking what the letter looked like on him omni-tool. Even then, Shepard would call it out first because, due to a strange font or lowercase, Garrus hadn't recognized it.

"We're playing this game just so you can beat me," Garrus realized after Shepard found her fifteenth letter. He was still struggling with "B."

Shepard actually had the grace to look embarrassed. "No... I might have known I'd be a lot better, but that doesn't mean I was doing it _just _to win."

Garrus chuckled. "Pull over," he requested.

Shepard did as she was bade. "What, you planning on walking?" she teased.

Garrus didn't answer, just beckoned her to follow him as he got out of the car. Shepard turned the car off and hopped out of the vehicle. At his request to do so, Shepard opened up the trunk. Garrus grabbed his rifle out of the back, glancing over at Shepard. "You brought yours, didn't you?"

Shepard offered him a sheepish smile. "No... just my pistol. I'm on shore leave!" she said as defense when he narrowed his eyes.

Garrus shrugged. "I guess we have to share, then." He ducked into the trunk, opening up one of his bags and pulling out a clear sack of small cylindrical items. "I picked these up in Branson," he explained with a grin. "I wanted to do this at night, but forgot your eyesight is horrible in the dark. And I am guessing you didn't bring your visor, either?"

Shepard huffed good-naturedly, nudging Garrus gently with her elbow. "Don't be rude, I came out here for relaxation."

"Right," Garrus thrummed, grinning, "which is why we should shoot things." He led Shepard out into the opened field bordering the road. He handed Shepard his gun and tossed a disc in a high arc.

Shepard shouldered the gun and let off a shot; she nicked the disc and it was sent in a crazy downward spiral. Bright, multicolored streams of smoke shot from the disc as it fell.

Shepard's eyes were wide when she looked over at Garrus. "What _are _these things?"

Garrus laughed. "These are how turians train their children to shoot." He handed her a disc and took the rifle from her. "Think your little arm can throw far enough for a difficult shot?" he teased.

Shepard narrowed her eyes, her smile mischievous. "I hope you got your ass kicked by a woman someday. And I kinda hope it's me." Without another word she pulled her arm back and threw the disc in an arching curve.

Garrus took a moment to line up his sight before pulling the trigger effortlessly. The disc shattered head-on, spraying a shower of rainbow light over the field.

They spent another hour practicing shots, lighting up the sky with brilliant colors. Finally, when the last disc had been shot open, Garrus laughed. "You're a quick learner. It only took you, what, fifteen discs to hit one properly?"

Shepard shoved him playfully. "You better watch it, Vakarian. You forget, I have some pretty impressive tech to back me up if you get out of hand."

Garrus chuckled, turning toward the car. "Ready to get back to it?"

"Sure," Shepard alleged, looking torn between excitement and anxiety.

It was only after midday when they crossed over the Washington state line. Shepard's fingers began to drum on the steering wheel restlessly. A few hours later, while crossing the mountain range that separated Eastern and Western Washington, she began to bit her lower lip.

Garrus watched her keenly from the corner of his eye, concerned at her obvious display of distress. After a few moments, he spoke up. "So, what is the plan once we get into town?"

Shepard glanced over at him, her eyes glazed as if lost in thought. She slowly pulled herself out of it, offering him a smile. "Well," she began hesitantly. "We have to see the Space Needle of course. It's certainly not the coolest building in the city now, but it's a piece of history. Plus," she added, voice dropping, "I kind of stole something from one of the stores there when I was younger. I want to pay for it."

Garrus couldn't help feeling as though she was overreacting. "What could you have stolen that is worth the trouble?"

Shepard laughed softly, glancing down at her hands. "I stole an auction item. It was an ancient musical instrument – you know, the rustic stuff we used before we had all of this digital stuff." She seemed like she was trying to hide a smile. "It was a fantastic guitar – electric blue with black piping. It seemed like it was growling when you played it…" She shook her head, almost sadly. "One of the Reds smashed it after getting roaring drunk. He tried to buy it from me… but it was my only possession. The only thing that didn't remind me of what a horrible person I was, how I lied and stole for a living… When I played it, I felt… normal. Special, even."

Garrus reached out to touch her arm but was interrupted by Shepard's omni-tool lighting up and buzzing gently with an incoming call. Shepard sighed, pulling the car over before connecting the call to her earpiece. "Kaiden," she greeted.

"Where are you?" he asked. He sounded normal – maybe a bit stressed, but certainly not as angry as he had been the day before.

"In Washington," she answered honestly. "We're stopping in Seattle for the night. We'll be in Vancouver by tomorrow."

"Shepard," Kaiden sighed. He sounded weary now.

"Kaiden, this whole thing with Udina is ridiculous," Shepard murmured. "I _need_ this. I need to go home, confront demons."

Kaiden was silent for a moment before he replied. "Shepard, I understand. Look, I'll spend the night with my folks here in Vancouver. Let's meet up by 5 pm tomorrow, okay? Tomorrow we'll work this whole thing out and decide what to tell Udina."

"There's nothing to tell Udina," Shepard responded, feeling exasperated. "It's none of his damn business how I lead my life, anyway. If the Council has a problem with what I do, then they can talk to me directly. If Udina has a problem, he should have called me. When did you become his errand boy, anyway?"

Shepard regretted the words immediately. Garrus cleared his throat uncomfortably, looking out the window.

Kaiden was silent for a long time. He then replied, voice neutral, "Look, I get it. I get you're pissed off at Udina. But this stuff is bigger than you – your image is all humanity has right now. If we want a bigger part in things, we need you setting a good example. Fucking around Earth with a turian is not what a lot of humans –and turians, for that matter- want to see."

"I'll see you tomorrow, Kaiden," was her only response. She ended the call, letting out a deep intake of breath.

"Hey," Garrus murmured, "don't let him get to you."

"I know," Shepard responded quickly. She turned the car back on and maneuvered back onto the road. "Let's just get to Seattle. We have a dinner reservation and I need a huge glass of wine."

…

Shepard stood in the hotel room, anxiously fingering the hem of her dress. She had bought the dress especially for this dinner…Originally, when she thought she would be travelling alone, she figured this dress would be perfect. It was a black silk number with a modest bust that draped elegantly all the way to her knees… the back, however, was a seductive cut-out, exposing skin from her slender neck to the small of her back.

The dress was gorgeous enough to fit in with the other patrons that would be dining; however, it was also scant enough to show off her numerous scars. The two on her upper arms would be the most noticeable, but a few decorated her legs, as well. Shepard liked to remind others that she wasn't one to trifle with; scars tended to get that point across very well.

Now that Garrus would be joining her, though, it made things different. Even though she had slept beside him in practically nothing, something about this dress made her feel… exposed. She rubbed her arms over her bare arms, watching herself in the mirror. She had pulled her hair up into a bun, and accented her normally light makeup with a few swipes of eyeliner and lipstick. She looked good – better than usual, anyway- but she still felt plain.

Her omni-tool lit up and buzzed. Kaiden was calling – again. Shepard sighed, pressing her earpiece to accept the call. "Yes Kaiden?"

He didn't say anything for a moment, but then words began rushing out of his mouth. "Shepard, I've missed you. I know we said we weren't going to talk about what happened-"

"Kaiden," Shepard whispered, eyes closing. "I don't want to do this right now."

"I have to know," Kaiden pressed. "I know we're over, that we never actually started... I get that; one time fling before we possibly died. But Shepard… why him?"

"Kaiden, Garrus is here as my friend. Nothing has happened between us," Shepard returned, feeling exhaustion seep into her bones. She had known this was coming; Kaiden was too attached to her and she, in a moment of weakness, had exploited that. Had used him.

"Why him?"

Shepard shook his head. "What can I say that you'd believe, Kaiden? No matter what I say now, you're going to think I am hiding something. Does it really make a difference to you when I say that this was unexpected? He just happened to have nothing better to do, and so I asked if he wanted to come along for a road trip?"

Kaiden was quiet. She could hear something that sounded like water – she remembered Kaiden had mentioned his parents lived off of English Bay. He was probably sitting out on their dock, a beer in hand, trying to discern why his commander could be such a heartless bitch.

Finally, he spoke. "I miss you." His words sounded choked.

Shepard sat on the bed, a hand going to her forehead. "Kaiden, please don't do this."

"I can't help it!" he yelled. There was a noise like breaking glass– probably a beer bottle thrown against a boat or the dock itself… "I don't know what it is, Shepard, I can't get you out of my head…"

"Well then try harder," she said simply. "I am going out to dinner. Please… get some sleep. Don't drink anymore alcohol, it's a depressant," she added.

Kaiden chuckled harshly. "Is that an order?"

"Yeah, it is," Shepard responded before ending the call. She sat on the bed, staring at the strappy black heels she'd shoved her feet into, feeling pitiful.

A knock on the door alerted her that Garrus must have gotten back from picking up appropriate dinner attire. She slowly got up from the bed, shrugging on a black coat she had picked up. Even in the summer, the rainy city had a habit of pulling out freakish weather.

She went to the front door, opening it with a hesitant smile. Garrus stood before her, wearing a pair of black turian slacks and an elegant dress shirt, the material a thick red with blue and gold brocade. Although the clothing was commonly seen on turians on the Citadel, seeing Garrus wearing it was a little startling.

He seemed to think the same about her dress and coat. "You look…" he began, his harmonics seeming jittery.

"Like an idiot, I know," Shepard laughed softly.

Garrus looked stunned. "I was definitely _not_ going to say that."

Shepard shrugged. "You look great, I look great, whatever- I am starving and I need that wine."

Garrus chuckled, taking her arm and thrumming, "Well, we can't deny the lady what she wants."

…

The Space Needle Restaurant overlooked all of Seattle with a fantastic 360 degree view. The fact that the restaurant was slowly rotating to give all guests the best sights possible made it even better.

Garrus was fascinated by the building from the moment he saw it from the ground. "Your people engineered this before you even knew how to harness mass effect fields?"

"We did," Shepard said proudly.

The pair took the elevator up to the restaurant and were immediately identified and placed at a small, intimate table that had been set aside from the others. The host took Shepard's coat for her, displaying her outfit fully. Garrus took in the sight of her, looking more feminine that he knew possible, and realized that she was utterly breathtaking.

The host pulled out Shepard's seat for her, which she slid into gracefully. Garrus took his own seat, all the while admiring Shepard's form. Once their host had left, Garrus hummed, "You look… amazing."

Shepard snorted back a soft laugh. "Please."

Garrus rolled his eyes, sitting back in his chair. "I give up on ever trying to give you a compliment."

The two took turns with unusually polite, idle chatter while they drank wine and waited for their food. Shepard had almost polished off her entire bottle of wine when she decided to drop the charade. "I have a confession. If you hate me afterwards, then so be it."

Garrus' mandible flared. "This sounds good. Hit me."

Shepard took another long drink from her wine glass before murmuring, "Kaiden and I had sex and now he's hung up on me."

Garrus snorted into his own wine glass, taking a sip of his turian still. "I already knew that."

Shepard sighed, leaning back in her chair. "How did you know, might I ask?"

Garrus shrugged. "I just…knew. The tension between you two there toward the end was ridiculous. Then, suddenly, one day you're relaxed; tension is gone. Then Kaiden starts following you like a lost pyjak, all adoration and affection. But you didn't receive it. You kept your distance and slowly the relaxation became annoyance."

Shepard chuckled softly, her finger tracing the wine fluke. "You're very intuitive."

"Well, it might have helped that Liara was coming to call you down for a briefing and overheard some of the moaning," Garrus admitted with a grin. "And you know Liara – she won't tell a soul except for the one she expected to be involved."

Shepard's cheeks reddened. "She thought it was you and me?"

Garrus nodded, his laughter making his mandibles flutter. "She assumed it was me, what with how often you'd come to check up on me and the Mako."

Shepard shook her head. "What did you tell her?"

"Well… I might have not corrected her way of thinking, while also not admitting to it…"

"Garrus!" Shepard laughed, feeling her tensions seeping away. "You're a sneaky bastard, you know that? But you are probably the only being alive that can cheer me up no matter what."

Garrus shrugged, a smile tugging at his mouth. "What can I say? I am a natural lady killer."

The pair finished their meal and settled their tab before sauntering down to the lobby of the Space Needle. The shops were all beginning to close, but Shepard managed to make it inside of _Musical Fancies_ before the man behind the counter locked up.

"Excuse me, sir," she said quickly, "I was wondering what your most expensive guitar is?"

The man blinked, confused. "Guitar? We haven't sold guitars in five years. No one can play nowadays."

Shepard frowned. "Well… do you happen to remember anyone telling you about a special blue and black electric guitar that was on display here? I believe it was some kind of auction for a new music school, to teach kids the old instruments."

The man laughed ruefully. "Kid, I was here the day that thing got stolen. I still can't figure how the thief got it."

"How much would you say that guitar could have auctioned for?" Shepard pressed.

The man shrugged. "Well, let me think. Antiques that old … I would guess probably somewhere around 120 to 150,000."

Shepard walked over to his terminal, transferring over 200,000 credits. The man sputtered in surprise and Shepard offered him a smile. "Consider the extra 50,000 interest." The man's eyes lit up in understanding, but Sheppard and Garrus were leaving the store before he could say anything else.

As they walked down Broad Street arm-in-arm, Shepard paused. "Do you hear that?" she asked, her ears picking up a faint, rhythmic noise.

Garrus nodded. "Someone's singing." He led Shepard in the direction of the voice. As they drew closer, they saw it was an old man sitting on the lip of a sparkling fountain in a plaza courtyard. The multicolored lights strung from the trees in the square lit the fountain, making the water seem to dance.

Shepard smiled as she stood, watching the man sing to the stars and anyone willing to listen. She then turned to Garrus, a strange half-smile on her face. "I don't know if it's the wine or these pretty lights, but I sure would enjoy a dance right now."

Garrus chuckled, taking one of her hands in his, putting his other hand on her waist. "I can do that." They swayed together for a few moments before Shepard leaned in closer, resting her head against his chest, her arms secured around his neck. Garrus held her close, listening to the old gentleman's voice as he sang sweet words about true love.

_I think I love you, Shepard, _Garrus thought to himself, smelling the sweet vanilla scent that clung to the commander. _But you aren't one for love… and I don't think I could handle it if you left me like you did Kaiden…_

"Garrus," Shepard whispered, her voice barely heard.

"Hmm?" he rumbled.

"I don't want this night to end," she responded, voice tinged with something like sadness.

Garrus squeezed her gently, his mouth pressing against the top of her head. _Neither do I…_

* * *

Author's Note

So now we know why Kaiden has been so tense with Shepard, and Garrus is beginning to realize his feelings are even stronger than he thought.

For anyone wondering, the song I was basing off of this last section is "La Vie en Rose," Lois Armstrong's version. Such a great song. :)

Leave me some love in the comments!

Love love,

E.


	7. Somebody That I Used to Know

**Chapter 7**

**Somebody That I Used to Know**

* * *

Shepard stood on the balcony overlooking Puget Sound. It was easily two in the morning and the chilly night air caressed her slender form. She hand shrugged her coat on over her underwear, but the chill had a tricky way of getting under her skin and burrowing there.

Shepard sipped her rum and coke she'd mixed together, thanks to the fully stocked mini fridge. She sipped the drink, wincing a bit at the high rum content. She had told herself just one drink to calm her nerves would be enough; this was her third drink and she couldn't come up with an excuse as to why she needed it.

She was on edge. Not because of the city anymore, though. This place was just like any other she had ever visited; her past was exactly that – past. She wasn't haunted by it anymore. Perhaps it was seeing the city without the fear of not finding food or coming face-to-face with her death. Or perhaps it was paying for the most expensive thing she had ever stolen. Or, it might have just been the fact that she had someone she trusted watching her six.

The glass door leading outside to the balcony opened up and Garrus, in nothing but those strange turian pants he wore to bed, stepped out. Shepard offered him a smile, tilting her head to the side. "Can't sleep?" she asked softly.

Garrus smiled, coming to stand beside her. He looked out over the brightly lit city, taking in a deep breath of the nippy air. "It's hard to sleep alone after getting used to someone else being there."

Shepard nodded, glancing out to the water. A few late-night party schooners sailed gracefully over the still water, the slight breeze tugging the sails along. "I guess that means you need to settle down with a turian on the Citadel, then," she teased lightly… or attempted to. Her voice was flat; it didn't reflect the humor she meant to instill into it.

Garrus chuckled. He moved closer to her, his body practically flush against hers. His hands gripped the balcony on either side of her as he leaned down, murmuring in her ear, "I think I sensed something like jealousy, Commander."

Shepard bit her lower lip. This should not be happening. She shouldn't be feeling this way. "Sorry, I'm just…tired."

"Mmmhmm," Garrus thrummed, his right mandible fluttering gently against her left cheek. Shepard's eyes closed, feeling that horribly fierce rush of endorphins that accompanied arousal. "I can practically taste your heartbeat, Shepard. You can't fool me anymore."

Shepard took a deep breath, trying to calm her pulse. She had almost succeeded when Garrus' right hand moved to her throat, gently caressing the spot just behind her ear. Shepard's heart slammed against her ribcage ferociously, her legs beginning to tremble. "Garrus, please…"

Garrus chuckled, his face lowering to the crook of her neck. He nipped the skin, warm breath fanning across her collarbone. "Please what, Shepard?" he hummed against her skin.

"Please…" the word stuttered out of her lips – she was shaking from much more than cold… quite the opposite, in fact. She had never felt this intense of a fire that seemed to be roaring inside of her. "Oh, Garrus," she whispered, turning in his arms and succumbing. She felt him chuckle more than heard it as her lips rose to meet his mouth.

She had never know kissing a turian would be so appealing. She had figured it would be an awkward ordeal without much pleasure; kind of like practice kissing a mirror in middle school. But this… this was entirely different. His mouth might not have been soft, but it was feverishly warm and the muscles moved tightly beneath her lips.

"You've done this before," she accused softly as she pulled away.

Garrus laughed; the sound was much deeper and richer than usual. "I might have kissed an asari or two in the past…"

Shepard kissed him again, this time more passionately. His arms wrapped around her and lifted her effortlessly. Her legs instinctively went to his slender waist, his curved hips making an almost perfect crook for her thighs. He carried her effortlessly into the hotel room, settling them both on the bed.

…

A suddenly loud, shrilling noise awoke Shepard with a start. She fumbled blindly around the bedside table, finally grabbing the room's wall phone. "Yes?" she groaned.

"Wakeup call for room 1405."

Shepard blinked for a few moments before grumbling, "This is 1605."

There was an embarrassed chuckle. "Oh my, I am so sorry. Please forget this interruption. Good day."

Shepard hung up the receiver and stretched. She took in the sight of Garrus, sleeping soundly on his side, his back to her. She noticed the hem of his pants and tilted her head aside, confused. She then realized she was also wearing her nightly underwear. The sheets were smooth and in place, just the way they were when the pair had laid down for bed…

_I had a wet dream about Garrus, _Shepard realized, mortified. She sat in bed, the soft cotton sheets pooling in her lap, and couldn't believe herself. How had it come to this? She was an Alliance Commander, for christssake! She had already seduced her lieutenant and dropped him, now she was targeting her best friend?

Garrus stirred slightly before rolling over to face her. His eyes met hers and he offered her a sleepy smile. "Why aren't you asleep?"

Shepard covered her face with a hand, trying to wash the fabricated images of him from her mind. "Just a dream," she murmured.

Garrus propped himself up on a hand. "Bad dream?"

Shepard lowered herself back down onto her pillow, snorting. "No… it was a pretty good one, actually."

Garrus chucked. "Then why do you sound so stressed?"

Shepard shook her head. "It's complicated."

"Shepard, what do you do in life that _isn't_ complicated?"

She laughed softly, glancing over at him. "Have you ever kissed an asari?"

Garrus burst into a riotous laughter, harmonics flanging heavily. "No, I never have."

"Hmm," Shepard murmured herself. "Interesting."

Garrus' mandibles were twitching like mad now. "Did you have a dream about me kissing an asari?"

"No," Shepard laughed softly. "I might have had a dream where you said you did, though."

"That's a very strange thing to dream about," Garrus pointed out.

Shepard shrugged. "What can I say? Humans. We're weird."

Garrus seemed intent on getting the story out of her. "Well, what else was the dream about?"

Shepard shrugged, rolling onto her side so he couldn't see the blush that was creeping up her cheeks. "I don't know. I've pretty much forgotten it already."

Garrus leaned in closer, his breath fanning across her cheek and making that damn spark of arousal light inside her belly. Shepard closed her eyes, willing herself not to react. "Shepard," Garrus prodded, "you are a horrible liar."

"Only with you," she alleged.

"True, which I am grateful for." He let her lay silently for a moment before sighing. "Alright, fine. If you're that embarrassed about having a dream about me and Liara-"

Shepard giggled; she couldn't help it, he somehow always managed to make her laugh. "You're so egotistical. Why would I dream about you and Liara?"

"You mentioned asari… Well if it wasn't me, was it about you and Liara?" he pressed. "That would make sense, what with her embracing eternity with you about a million times…"

"Garrus!" Shepard exclaimed, turning around to face him, slapping his chest gently. "You know that embracing eternity shit freaked me out. If I dreamed about it, it would have been a nightmare."

"Well," Garrus hummed, grabbing her hand with his, "the only other thing I can possibly imagine is that you had a dream about us."

Shepard's face was flooded with heat again. She tugged her hand out of his hand, repeating, "You are so egotistical." She turned, her back facing him again.

Garrus only laughed, coming in to wrap himself around her from behind. "You're a horrible liar," he repeated, mouth lowering to her neck in an oddly human kiss. He pulled away after a moment, still chuckling as he rolled back to his side of the bed.

_Damn it, _Shepard thought venomously, knowing sleep would be impossible now.

…

Vancouver was a bright metropolis of gleaming white marble and alabaster. It looked most similar to the Citadel than any of the other Earth-based metropolises. The drive there had been relatively uneventful. Garrus had been strangely cheerful all day, no doubt due to his discovery of Shepard's dream. He didn't mention it, however, and instead asked questions about places they drove by.

Shepard, on the other hand, was tense. For the first time on the trip, she felt as Garrus shouldn't be there. She wasn't sure if it was because of last night, or because they would be meeting with Kaidan soon. Either way, the more Garrus talked, the more on edge she became.

By the time they arrived at Kaidan's family home on the English Bay, Shepard was ready to shoot herself. Garrus had been talking the entire way… she had a sneaking suspicion he had done it purposely, just to rile her up.

The gate to the sprawling family home opened for them without Shepard having to buzz in. The sleek, beautiful white house sat on an even more beautiful green property. The landscaping was manicured perfectly, the rose and gardenia bushes bursting with color.

Garrus made a low grumble of appreciation. "His parents have done well."

"His dad's Alliance, too," Shepard responded. She felt her tension building even more. She hoped she wouldn't have to meet his folks… that would be too awkward to handle.

Shepard pulled the car up to the long circular drive and turned the ignition off. The car's loud rattling groan was silenced just as the front door to the house opened. Kaidan stepped out, wearing a pair of jeans and a tennis polo. It was certainly nothing Shepard would have expected to see him in, but she forgot about his outfit entirely when she noticed his face.

There was a cut on his cheek, as if branch had caught the skin harshly. His eyes were narrowed, mouth in a deep frown. He wasn't looking at her, either; he was looking at Garrus.

_Begin play -act one,_ Shepard thought, heart sinking, _jealousy._

Kaidan then turned his expression to her. He strode up purposely, his hands tightened into fists. Shepard braced herself, readying for anything. If he tried to swing at her, she would put him on the ground. Past bed-partner or not, shore leave or not, she would not accept insubordination.

What she was not ready for his Kaidan taking her neck in one hand, pulling her close and crushing his lips against hers. She was stunned for a moment, the complete shock of it making her freeze. Within seconds she was shoving him away, voice raising, "Kaidan, what the fuck?"

"There is still something here, Shepard," Kaidan growled. "You can't tell me you feel nothing for me."

Shepard swallowed. This was going to be a serious situation if not handled properly. She lowered her voice and said as softly as she could, "Kaidan… you're my lieutenant and my friend. I trust you with my life. I would die for you. My feelings don't go beyond that."

"You used me, then." It was a statement, not an accusation.

"Yes." Shepard watched his face contort into something between sorrow and rage. "Kaidan, I'm sorry. It was a bad call on my part. I wasn't thinking right."

"A bad call?" Kaidan repeated. "A bad call. Well, that makes this so much better. So much fucking better, to know that I was a bad call."

"You know I didn't mean that," Shepard responded. She reached out, touching Kaidan's arm. "I should have thought about what this might do to us before I called you into the cabin. I should have warmed you that I wasn't in it for the long haul. It was just… stress relief."

Kaidan watched her keenly for a moment before letting out a deep sigh. "I get it. I knew then, too. I mean, I saw the regret in your face right after we…" he glanced over at Garrus, who was close enough to assist Shepard if Kaidan got violent, but far enough to give them privacy. "It's just, seeing you with him on all of those vids… I don't know how he can make you happier than I can."

Shepard sighed, leaning back against her car. "Kaidan, it shouldn't matter. I shouldn't matter to you like that."

"I know," Kaidan said quickly, rubbing the back of his neck with a hand. "I know, I just… I can't help it," he added, seeming a bit sheepish. "You're just… you. No one can resist you."

Shepard sighed. "Kaidan, I need to know we're okay. If we need to bring in a mediator or get Udina involved to solve this thing, then I need to know in advance."

Kaidan shook his head. "Nah, we're okay. I can get over this. Not like I haven't been dumped before," he tried to joke. The look on his face was anything but amused, though. He looked heartbroken. "I, uh… I scheduled our flight back to Florida for tomorrow morning. I haven't been able to reach Joker; I was wondering if you could try. He'll probably answer you."

"Sure," Shepard nodded. She pulled up her omni-tool's interface, sending a call along to Joker. The line tried to connect for a few moments before dropping the call. "Strange," she murmured, feeling uneasy. "Do you think he got into trouble?"

"If he was picked up by the cops, they'd run his creds and find the Alliance colors. Alliance would have contacted you if he hadn't done so directly," Kaidan said simply with a shrug. "He's probably passed out drunk."

Shepard nodded, feeling uneasy all the same. "Well, we'll go find a hotel for the night and be on our way in the morning, I guess. I need to find somewhere to dump this, too," she added, kicking the beat up car's wheel with her shoe.

Kaidan laughed. "That is one sorry state… I'm shocked to see you riding in it," he added. "I guess there's more to you than I figured…"

"I guess there is," Shepard murmured. She waved goodbye to Kaidan before climbing back into the rusted blue car with the polyurethane roof.

Garrus went to Kaidan and said something to the man in an undertone. The two exchanged a brief conversation which ended with a handshake. The two parted and Garrus came back to the car, sliding into the passenger seat. Right before Shepard turned the car on, Kaidan yelled, "Take care of her!"

Garrus raised a hand in acknowledgement. Shepard raised her eyebrow but didn't press it. She turned the key in the old vehicle, the engine rolling over after a few moments. They pulled away from the Alenko house and drove toward downtown Vancouver.

…

Shepard sat in the hotel's Chinese meditation garden, trying to release the tension in her different chakra points. No matter what, though, she kept hitting a brick wall when it came to her heart chakra. She sat cross legged; her arms were relaxed at her sides, eyes closed. She cleared her mind, just as she had been taught in her early days in training.

But no matter how hard she tried, a certain turian kept infiltrating her thoughts. She was ready to give up when a familiar voice gently murmured, "Having trouble?"

Shepard sighed, getting to her feet. "Yeah, a bit. At least the tension in the lower half of my body is gone," she laughed ruefully. Garrus stood before her, holding a mug of something. He handed it to her and, on closer inspection, she realized it was a steaming mug of Earl Grey tea.

"Thank you," she murmured, taking a sip. The scalding liquid burned down her throat, filling her limbs with warmth.

"No problem. I figured you might need it after your talk with Kaidan." Garrus took a seat on a nearby bench, watching giant koi fish lazily slink around the pond in front of him.

Shepard joined him on the chair, sighing. "I made a huge mistake with him." Garrus thrummed his agreement, prompting Shepard to continue. "It really makes me angry that I did it. I knew I didn't love him. But I also knew I might die. No one wants to die without one last time, right?"

"Right," Garrus agreed. "But I knew I wouldn't die. I knew you wouldn't, too."

"You can't know when we're gonna die," Shepard argued gently.

Garrus laughed. "Well… I had a gut feeling. My gut feelings are generally right." He glanced over at her. "Just like I think my gut feeling last night was dead on. About your dream."

Shepard sighed. "What do you want me to say, Garrus? Yes, I had a dream about us. I had a dream with sweaty skin and rumpled sheets and tangled hair. It was hot, messy and absolutely fantastic. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

Garrus was grinning, his mandibles twitching. "Yes, Shepard, that was what I wanted to hear." They sat in silence for a moment before Garrus asked suddenly, "Shepard, do you like spontaneity?"

Shepard blinked back her surprise. She took another sip of tea before answering cautiously, "Sure. About as much as the next girl, I guess. Why?"

Garrus was suddenly closing the distance between them, his mouth pressing into her lips. His warm mouth and the muscles beneath them were almost identical as to how she had imagined… only this wasn't her imagination.

Garrus Vakarian was kissing her. And her lips were responding.

When he pulled away, his forehead gently pressed against hers. "That's why," he whispered, a ghost of a smile on his face.

* * *

Author's Note:

Squee!

Leave me a comment!

Love love,

E.


	8. Rev 22:20

Chapter 8

Rev 22:20 (Crash Into Me)

**Disclaimer: There is a sexy scene here at the very beginning – I won't really claim it's a "sex" scene, but it's sexy ;) So, this rating has been bumped up to an M just in case. If you don't want to read it, skip down to the ellipses (…) and you'll be safe.**

**Tell me in your comment if you feel this is safe for a T, or should stay M. Thanks, lovies!**

* * *

Shepard and Garrus had been lip-locked since returning to their room, exploring each other's mouths fully. They had paused only briefly when Shepard nicked her tongue on one of his sharp teeth, allowing her to stem the flow of blood before getting right back to it. Gradually, hands became bold and travelled lower, finding new areas to caress and fondle.

Shepard's hands were now pressed between his cowl and neck, finding a soft patch of flesh that she massaged with her close-cropped nails. Garrus' eyes closed as he hummed in pleasure. She wasn't content with that, though; Shepard nipped his neck crests, her teeth biting down with enough force to actually feel through the hardened plate. Garrus groaned, the sound throaty.

Her hands never went below his chest, however her lower body was making sure to show that area attention. She was moving her hips in a way he had never seen – or felt- before and holy Spirits it was _amazing_. The feelings she was eliciting from him while still wearing pants was phenomenal.

"You're over dressed," he growled, feeling all decorum being eaten away. His worry for the Commander, his concern for how her soft body might react to his rough one was pushed aside. She had driven him past that edge and there was no going back. He reached up for the thin white cotton shirt she wore; his claws accidentally shredded the thing, which only seemed to turn on the Commander even more. She shrugged the wreckage of her shirt off, panting, her breasts heaving against a white lace bra.

Garrus was momentarily confused by the contraption hiding her breasts from view, but Shepard was luckily on top of it. She reached behind her, and soon the white nuisance was falling away.

_Spirits, I've died and gone to the afterlife,_ he thought, looking upon her soft, gorgeous flesh. His hands were eager to explore her body as she rode her pelvis against his, her moans becoming more and more demanding. He squeezed flesh here, caressed there, licked and sucked and Shepard kept urging him to do more.

Garrus stroked his hand along her back as his tongue flicked against her nipple; he felt her as she arched, her full breasts pressing against him. She made a noise deep in her throat, something almost akin to a growl, that set Garrus' hands into fists. She began to move like a wild cat above him, her body contorting and grinding into him harder and faster than before. She leaned in close, her voice a snarl as she murmured, "I want you inside me, Vakarian."

He flipped her over, her back hitting the bed and hair fanning across the pillows. His hands were largely inefficient at the small button and zipper on her pants, and so he tore those off, as well. Her panties were a little easier and he managed to get those off without incident.

It seemed he was taking too long for Shepard; she reached out, her hands tugging his pants down for him. Completely undressed, Garrus had a moment if uncertainty. Their species were luckily very similar anatomically – but the females of his species were rough inside as well as out. How would this soft human react to him being inside of her?

Shepard, never one for sweet words, reached up and hooked Garrus' neck with a hand, pulling him down on top of her. Her lips covered his mouth, her tongue darted inside, and then her hips thrust against his violently.

At first, Garrus was sure he had torn Shepard apart from inside. She was so tight and small and there was so much liquid – was she bleeding? What happened? His panicked eyes went down to Shepard's face and saw not only pleasure, but the hint of pain that registered there, as well.

"Fuck," Garrus cursed, pulling away from her quickly. "Shit, Shepard, I'm sorry. Are you hurt? What can I do?" To his surprise, he didn't see a single drop of blood anywhere.

Shepard chuckled softly between her heaving breaths. "No, no, Garrus stop. I'm fine. You're just… bigger than I imagined." She laughed softly, shaking her head. "It's fine, really, it just takes time to get it comfortable-"

"We shouldn't have done this," Garrus interrupted. "I knew it was a risk. We can't-"

"Garrus," Shepard cut him off, her voice forceful. Commanding. "You didn't hurt me. You could never hurt me," she added, reaching out to stroke his face. "You're always so careful with me. But I'm not glass. I can handle abuse," she added with a faint smile.

Garrus chuckled softly, turning his head to nuzzle her hand. "I know," he whispered against her hand. "I just want this… us… I want it to be right."

Shepard pulled him down gently beside her and began to kiss him softly. She moved against him tenderly, the previous fiery passion being replaced by something more gentile, more real. They moved together perfectly, their forms surprisingly fitting together well. And this time when their bodies joined, neither one had any thought other than the other's pleasure.

**…**

Shepard was awoken from the best sleep she'd had in years by the shrill noise of her omni-tool. There was a distress call coming from a recognizable ID code; she was too tired to remember whose, though. Shepard scrambled for her earpiece on the bedside table, answering the call curtly, "Shepard."

"Shepard? Shepard, can you hear me?"

Shepard's eyebrows furrowed. "Joker? Is that you? Speak up, I can't hear-"

"Can't," he whispered back. Shepard could hear the panic in his voice. "Guards will be back any minute and if they find out I have am omni-tool-"

"Guards?" Shepard repeated. Garrus groaned beside her, beginning to stir. "Where are you?"

"Tijuana," Joker simpered quickly, voice rushed. "In jail. Shepard, you gotta come get me, they won't let me post my own bail, they are refusing to call the Alliance, they haven't fed me in two days-"

Panic thundered in Shepard's heart. Her finger fumbled with the blankets, throwing them off of her. Garrus' grumbling now became a murmured question of what was happening. She ignored him, stepping into her panties and clasping her bra on as quickly as possible.

"Joker, I'm coming," she said simply. "Hold on, I will be there as soon as I can catch a flight. Is the Normandy there?"

"No, it's still in Flor – shit, they're coming. I gotta go Shepard. Please, _shit_, please hurry, I've been set up!" The call cut out and Shepard was left standing in the middle of the room with dead silence.

"Fuck me," she groaned in annoyance. Before Garrus could snap a witty retort, she turned and tossed him his civilian pants. "Here, put these on while I call Kaidan. We're about to ruin his day. Again."

"Remind me to get him something expensive for the next human holiday," Garrus murmured, not even bothering to ask what was going on. He knew Shepard and he knew better than to interrupt her process.

Shepard placed the call to Kaidan, which was answered immediately. "Shepard, what happened?"

"It's Joker," She responded, going to her bag and grabbing a white Alliance tank top. She pulled it over her head, continuing, "I just got a call from him. He's in jail… in Tijuana."

"Goddamnit, what was that idiot thinking?" Kaidan cursed. "Are you two planning on going down there and bailing his dumb ass out of jail?"

"Yeah," Shepard responded, searching for a clean pair of jeans on her bag. The only thing she found was a pair of cut-off shorts. She sighed, stepping into them. Beggers couldn't be choosers. "This sounds like something else, though, Kaidan. He says he's been set up. They aren't feeding him or letting him place a call to the Alliance."

Kaidan cursed, the sound muffled. He was back in a second, murmuring, "Alright, I'll call the airport and have them cancel your seats to Florida. I'll try and track down a flight to TJ and get you two on it."

"Thanks, Kaidan," Shepard breathed. "I owe you."

Kaidan laughed softly, adding. "Well, then buy me a drink once we're all back on Florida sand, eh?"

"Done," she agreed, ending the call. She turned to find Garrus, always efficient, packing up their belongings at lightning speed. He was already dressed.

"Ready?" he asked her, shouldering their two bags.

"Ready," Shepard agreed, leading him out of the room and into the early morning sun of Vancouver.

…

On the drive to the airport, Shepard got a call from Kaidan. She answered with a, "What have you got?"

"Shepard, I got you and Garrus a flight to San Diego, California. That's the closest I can get you to TJ since they are currently in revolt. From San Diego, you're going to have to drive down into Tijuana. Try to fly under the radar as much as possible. Having an Alliance Commander rummaging in their illicit dealings is bad enough, especially now that they're trying to form their own independent nation. But if the authorities find out there is a Council Spectre mucking around – shit will hit the proverbial fan in seconds."

"I don't do discreet very well, Kaidan," Shepard sighed.

"Don't I know it," he responded with a snort. "Look, I got a pass for your car to go along with you so that you don't have to mess with a rental. You'll be flying into Naval Base Coronado, so you might run into a rookie who tries to take your guns or search the car. Please don't shoot them."

Shepard tried to hide her smile but failed. "I will refrain from shooting any military. Anything else, mom?"

Kaidan was silent for a moment before he added, "Stay safe, Shepard; bring Joker back. And… keep Garrus out of trouble."

Shepard smiled. "Will do, Lieutenant." She ended the call, glancing over to Garrus. "Well, let's go save the pilot's ass."

* * *

Author's Note:

I know, it is half the length of my usual chapters – but I wanted to get it out to you tonight. I've come down with a teeny flu so I am about to pass out with a dose of Nyquil.

A few of your smarties figured out I am using songs titles for my chapter titles. :) This chapter actually features two different titles for the two different moods you see right in the first scene. _Rev 22:20_ is a very sexy, dark song – the lyrics are pretty intense, so I would suggest viewer/listener discretion with it. But if you're reading this story, likely the song is okay for you. ;) The second song is _Crash Into Me_ by Dave Matthew's Band. Super sweet little song. It's always been one of my faves. :)

Hopefully my sickness with not prohibit me from posting regularly. If it does, I apologize in advance! I'm going to try to, if anything, keep posting nightly and just cut down on the length if needed.

Thanks for all the love – keep it coming in the comments! It makes me so happy to hear from you all. :)

Love love,

E.


	9. Dead Sea

**Chapter 9 **

**Dead Sea**

* * *

Naval Base Coronado was a testament to the stubborn will of Humanity. The building had been destroyed four times over the past forty years; twice it succumbed to fire, once to a bomb, and the final time to a jet carrier's fuselage exploding. Yet each time, the Coronado was rebuilt "bigger and better." It had become a running joke in San Diego that any day the base would get torn apart again. The officials at Coronado did not find this as amusing as the other locals.

Due to their misfortune over the past decades, the Coronado became even more tightly controlled and monitored than before. Shepard and Garrus were the only occupants of the small jet; even so, they had been forced to wait in the metal bird for over an hour while officials checked for explosives. Shepard knew it had been that long because she kept checking her omni-tool impatiently every few minutes.

"Shepard," Garrus murmured, putting his hand gently on her bare knee. Her leg had been bouncing irritably and ceased at his touch. "Calm down."

"I'm worried about Joker," Shepard admitted, although the sentiment was obvious. "The more time they dick around under the plane, the more time those assholes have to hurt our pilot."

Garrus thought about trying to lighten the mood with a joke, but he knew it would only make things worse. Shepard had crossed over the threshold of worry; nothing was going to bring her back until she saw that Joker was safe. Instead he leaned back in his chair. "You are doing everything in your power."

"I hope that's enough," she grumbled, her leg beginning to bounce again.

A young man with a crew-cut and startling green eyes poked his head into the cabin. "Commander Shepard? Welcome to Coronado. If you and your companion could please step out of the cabin? We need to search you both for weapons."

"Sure," Shepard said simply but got out of her seat and sauntered toward the open hatch. She hopped out of the small plane without taking the man's offered hand. Garrus followed her closely, coming to stand next to her. "I won't give up my gun," Shepard said simply as the man moved closer.

"We understand, Commander," the man said simply, "But I still have to check so we have a record. Would you prefer I request a female officer?" Shepard sighed and shook her head. The man had the decency to look as uncomfortable as Shepard felt; he did a quick skim of her clothed areas – she was sure he was only being as casual as he was due to her rank. He did pause when he felt the gun in her hip holster, but ended up saying nothing.

He pulled away, not bothering to check her shoes. "Commander Shepard is carry one handgun on a hip holster," he reported into his earpiece. "I am now going to check her companion."

The man moved over to Garrus and nodded a faint hello. "Do you mind if I begin, sir?"

Garrus shook his head, putting his hands out to the sides. "Go ahead…" Garrus checked the man's fatigues, which read ENS Davidson. "Ensign Davidson." Garrus glanced over at Shepard, who had moved toward the cargo compartment under the plane and was collecting their baggage.

The man was much more thorough with Garrus and found his handgun immediately. The man pulled back, looking concerned. "Sir, I have to ask you to relinquish your firearm immediately."

Shepard was there in an instant. "Davidson, he's with me. He's Citadel Security," she added.

The man shook his head, hand going to the gun at his side. He withdrew the pistol but did not aim. "Commander, I respect your friend's ability to carry firearms in Citadel Space, but unfortunately he has no jurisdiction on this base. We need to take the firearm and will return it to you at the front entrance."

Shepard shook her head. "Not good enough." She pulled her gun, pointing it at Davidson. His gun rose, as well, pointing directly at Shepard. "If something happens here, I need him to have my back. He can't do that if you take his gun."

The ensign's hands were trembled slightly as he stared Shepard in the eyes. "Commander, please understand I cannot let someone who is not Alliance-"

"Stand down, Davidson," a voice boomed from the hangar doors. The form began walking toward them, the harsh light accenting his craggy skin and grey-flecked hair. "If Commander Shepard trusts him, so do I."

Davidson dropped his weapon back into the holster, turning to attention. "Yes Vice Admiral, sir."

Shepard turned, coming face-to-face with someone she'd never thought she'd ever see again. "Vice Admiral Baines." She stood straighter, raising her hand in salute; Garrus fell back, letting the military officials take center stage.

The older man, Vice Admiral Baines, returned Shepard's salute. "At ease, everyone. Shepard, it's been quite a while. You were just a kid last time I saw you."

Shepard laughed, sounding sheepish – it wasn't a tone Garrus expected out of the Commander. "Don't make me sound so old – do I need to remind you your hair was still mostly black back then?"

"Still as cheeky as ever," Baines laughed, clapping his hand on Shepard's shoulder. "But you're not here to catch up. Your Lieutenant, Alenko, put a call into me earlier and told me about the situation. Is there anything we can do to help?"

Shepard shook her head. "No, sir, Garrus and I will be fine. We just need to get to our car."

The Vice Admiral made a face. "I thought the petties were joking with me when they said that was yours. I know how well Alliance pays their Commanders – why the old Mustang?"

Shepard shrugged. "I've always wanted one." She smiled and saluted him again. "Sir, it was good to see you again. I hope you'll keep in touch?"

"Of course, Commander," he agreed, returning the gesture. "Now go right through those doors and Ensign Peters will get you to that blue hunk of metal outside."

…

"Baines was always around when I was in basic training," Shepard said as they drove, her speed easily pushing 80 miles an hour. "He was only a Commander back then; he'd come in and watch our drills sometimes, sit in and see our scores. He was always terrifying," she admitted with a grin. "He scared the crap out of me, but I respected him. He actually gave me a personal commendation and got me into the Alliance. He's straightforward, blunt, and gets results – with his commendation, no one could keep me out."

"He reminds me of you," Garrus hummed.

Shepard smirked, glancing over at him. "Yeah? Don't try and butter me up, Vakarian. I've heard ego is a bad look on me." Garrus laughed softly, watching the mostly empty road and scenery fly by in a rush of green and brown.

As they got closer to the Mexican border, Shepard began the drum her fingers on the steering wheel. "Does it feel like we're slowing down?" she muttered, more to herself than to Garrus.

"No," Garrus supplied anyway. "In fact, it feels like the car is about to rattle apart if you speed up any more."

Shepard didn't answer, but the red needle on the speedometer edged toward 90. Garrus decided it was best to keep quiet until Shepard asked him something directly.

A few miles later, Shepard pointed out a torn down chain-link fence with wood patching here and there. "That used to separate the United States from Mexico," Shepard pointed out. "Well, it didn't do much to keep anyone out, but it was the fact that we even tried that is horrible."

Garrus nodded, watching as they drove past the piece of toppled metal. "Do they leave it there to remember?"

Shepard nodded. "There's a festival every year right here on the border. It honors all of the people who were discriminated against for so many years. Not just the people of Mexico, but everyone. All of the people who have been mistreated, abused, or forgotten because of who they are."

"So, pretty much it's a festival for everyone?" Garrus asked.

Shepard smiled softly. "Yes. It's beautiful – I went once, a few years back on shore leave. It's probably one of the most amazing gathering of people I've ever seen."

Garrus brushed her leg gently with his hand. "We should go."

Shepard nodded. "Someday."

They pulled off on the side of the road a few miles out of the Tijuana city limits. Shepard rummaged through her bag of clothing, pulling out a pair of jeans and a dark tee shirt. The tee-shirt she tossed on over her Alliance tank top; she then stepped out of her cutoff shorts and quickly replaced them with the jeans. The sandals on her feet were replaced with her black boots. Her hair was kept down, windswept and looking absolutely gorgeous.

Garrus admired her as she went through the motions of making herself look as un-Alliance as she could. Of course, there were certain things she couldn't hide; the way her eyes followed everything, taking in every detail, the way she strode with confidence and purpose.

"Alright," Shepard signed, looking concerned. "I'm not sure how we're going to do this or what is awaiting us."

Garrus shrugged. "Seems pretty routine. Go down to their little jail house, ask nicely to collect Joker; if that doesn't work, then we can pull our guns and ask a little more demandingly."

Shepard laughed, shaking her head. "You've thought of everything." She got back into the car, Garrus following her lead. When he slid into the passenger seat, Shepard leaned over, her lips covering his mouth. When she pulled away, she murmured, "I realized I haven't done that today."

And with that final sentiment, she shifted back into her Commander role and maneuvered them back onto the road.

…

_"Si,_ we have him," the jailor drawled as he leaned heavily against the front counter. He was picking his nails with that looked like a razorblade, but was in the shape of a bat. "What's it to you?"

"We're here to post his bail," Shepard said simply. Her hands were crossed over her chest as she leaned back against the wall, looking completely at ease.

"Gringos, they aren't welcome here," the man murmured, unhurried.

"Fine, noted. Let me collect him and the _gringo_ won't be a problem," Shepard purred, her voice tinged with something like anger.

_"Puta,_ hold your horses, eh?" the man snapped. "We haven't discussed payment."

"What did he do to wind up here?" Shepard growled. Garrus could tell she was itching to resort to Plan B and pull her gun. Garrus stood on the other side of the room, eyes shifting between the jailor and his lackey in the back room.

"Gambling," the jailor grumbled, finally putting down the razorblade on the counter. "He cheated."

"That's not right, Shepard," Garrus said simply.

"I know it's not," Shepard said, never taking her eyes off of the man in front of her. "Jeff doesn't cheat. Ever. He finds it morally questionable to cheat at something that's already morally questionable."

The man shrugged. "Maybe not with other _gringos,_ but down here he thinks he can run wild."

"What's his bail?" Shepard said again, sighing.

The man shrugged again. "What is his life worth to you?"

Shepard slammed her hand on the counter in front of the man, making him jump. "Look, you oversized fuck, I don't give a goddamn about the bullshit you're pulling here in this farce of a town. I don't give a goddamn about the disagreement you're having with our _United _countries. All I want is my friend. Now give me a reasonable number or this is going to get ugly really fast."

The man's watery eyes regarded her coolly. Finally, he stood to his full height (just a few hairs shorter than Shepard) and murmured, "Fine, _amiga._ You want your friend back? He will cost you 150,000 credits."

Shepard snorted back laughter. "I told you a _reasonable_ number. There is no way he 'cheated' that much money off of people in a back alley gambling hall."

The man shrugged. "Either take it or leave it, _amiga._ Your choice." He turned his back to her, a final show of his lack of concern, and began rolling a cigarette.

Shepard met Garrus' eye and he nodded. Simultaneously, Shepard and Garrus had their weapons drawn and trained on their targets.

"Hands where I can see them," Shepard ordered. The man dropped the rolling paper and put his hands to the side quickly, turning to take in the sight of her hand cannon only inches from his face. Garrus was disarming the lackey in the back room, who seemed to think it would be a good idea to draw a gun against a turian.

"Who are you?" the man snapped, eyes wide. "You can't bring guns into my town!"

"I'm Commander Shepard, Alliance Navy," she said simply, gun trained right between his eyes, "and you picked the wrong gringo to kidnap."

Garrus was tying the lackey's hands behind his back with some packing twine he'd found. "Lead me to Jeff," he growled to the lackey. The kid bobbed his head anxiously, turning his sights from the armed turian to the armed Commander.

Garrus and the lackey disappeared into a side room and left Shepard and the jailor alone in the receiving area. The man was glaring daggers at Shepard through his watery brown eyes. "How dare you treat me like this, you Alliance scum," he growled, spitting on the counter. "You leave your own people behind and go protect the stars. Forget all of your brothers and sisters here!"

Shepard cocked an eyebrow. "Do you really want to tempt me into pulling this trigger?"

Garrus was having much better luck with the lackey. The stringbean of a guy led Garrus straight to Joker's cell, and even grabbed the key to the locked door out of his back pocket. Even with his hands tied, it seemed like the kid was flexible.

Garrus took the key and quickly unlocked the rusty old metal gate that was housing Joker. The flight officer was in the back of the cell, eyes closed, lips parted.

"Joker," Garrus called, stepping into the cell. It smelled horribly, like a latrine mixed with a decomposing pyjak. "Joker, get up."

Joker's eyelids fluttered open and he took in the turian. "Garrus? Ah fuck," he grumbled. "What'd I do to deserve getting thrown into turian heaven?"

Garrus chuckled, reaching down to help the man to his feet. "Easy, Joker. You're not dead yet."

The flight officer gasped as he put weight on his leg. "Shit, shit, Garrus, I think it's broken," he groaned.

"Easy," Garrus repeated. "Lean on me, alright? The car's right outside and you can have the whole backseat."

"Joy," Joker wheezed through clenched teeth.

Back in the main room, Shepard was leaning against the wall, thankful for the silence in the room. Garrus was soon coming through the door, practically dragging an ashen Joker. "He broke his leg," Garrus informed her, moving as slowly and carefully as he could. "You got any medigel?"

"Yeah, let's get him into the backseat," Shepard said, already moving for the front door.

Garrus noticed the jailor on the ground and groaned. "Shepard, you shot him?"

"No," she laughed softly. "I punched him after he decided to tell me why turians were the worst species out of the lot. I didn't realize a single punch would land him on his ass, but I'm pretty glad it did. He was getting on my nerves."

Joker barely had the strength to move his head, but he managed to sloppily salute Shepard as Garrus dragged him by. "Commander. Thanks for finally making it. Took ya long enough."

"Be glad I didn't decide to find a new pilot and save myself the trouble," she retorted, humor filling her voice. Despite his lack of decorum and inability to follow proper protocol, Shepard had always liked Joker. He reminded her of a little brother she'd never had.

Garrus got Joker into the back seat after a lot of maneuvering and a few hysterical curses from Joker. That was the problem with the vehicle – only two doors meant getting the flight lieutenant into the back seat by way of the front. "Can you get his leg taken care of?" Garrus asked, "I'm going to go untie the kid and make sure you didn't kill the jailor."

"I just punched him!" Shepard exclaimed, but she turned to Joker while chuckling. "Alright, Joker, try not to scream. We're still in hostile territory." She moved the driver seat forward, making a small space for her to squeeze in on the backseat floor board.

"Hah. Hah." Joker huffed.

Shepard smiled, thought she was not happy about what she had to do. She felt his leg as gently as she could, but each prodding touch made him wince. "Joker, good news," she whispered. "It's not broken, just dislocated at the knee. You might have a small fracture in your ankle, I can't tell for sure and I can't do anything about it anyway. But I can at least take care of this knee."

"Shit, this is going to hurt like a bitch," Joker groaned. "Something tells me you don't have as gentle a bedside manner as Chakwas."

Shepard smirked. "Hey, Joker, maybe since you've been hanging out in prison for a while, we should move your bunk down into the brig?"

"You know what, Shepard, scew you! I just went through-" Shepard took that moment to shove the leg back into the knee socket with a wet, sickening _pop_. Joker cut off mid-sentence, no air in his lungs to scream with. He panted for a few moments while Shepard prepared the medigel.

"Good job, Joker," Shepard praised, dispensing the medigel directly into Joker's leg. "Just breathe and you'll feel better in a minute."

"Bite me." Joker mumbled between clenched teeth. The medigel seemed to take the edge off quickly because he let out a suffering sigh and murmured, "I think I need a nap. And after a nap, I need a pizza."

"Got it," Shepard smiled, getting to her feet and put the driver's seat back into place. She shut the door and turned to go back inside, curious what was taking Garrus so long.

The second she opened the door, she heard a gunshot. Shepard's hand fell to her hip holster, grabbing her gun and silently moving toward the side room. She saddled against the wall, the stucco grabbing her jeans as she moved.

The door to the side room flung open and the kid whom Garrus had tied up stumbled out of it. He was bleeding from a gunshot wound on his side, a knife in his hand.

The knife had blue blood on it.

"Fuck," Shepard wheezed, her eyes focusing on the blood. Turian blood. Garrus' blood. The kid had turned and saw her, his eyes going wide and panicked. Without meaning to, really without even thinking, Shepard raised the gun and let off two shots – one struck him in the chest, the second in the neck. The slender man slumped to the ground, blood spilling all over the floor.

"Garrus!" Shepard called out, turning the corner quickly and flinging herself into the stinking cellblock.

The turian was against the wall, a hand to his side, his lips pulled into a grimace of pain. "Did you get him?" Garrus asked, holding his hand to the wound.

"Oh god, Garrus," Shepard breathed, coming to his side. Her omni-tool hummed to life and she quickly scanned over the wound. "I can stop the blood but you're going to need stiches," she murmured. She prepared another dose of medigel, applying it to the wound. "What happened?" she asked, taking her black tee off and pressing it to the wound.

"Damn kid got a knife out of his pocket," Garrus grumbled. "I was careless, I didn't check to see if he had a weapon."

"Come on, the bleeding has stopped," Shepard murmured, helping him to his feet. She led him out to the car, putting the passenger seat back as far as it would go. She helped him into the seat, her Alliance tank flecked with excess blood from Garrus' shirt. "Lie back and sleep," she ordered. "No arguments," she added when he opened his mouth. She leaned down, meeting his mouth with hers. "Sleep," she repeated when she pulled away.

Garrus thrummed deeply, his voice flanging heavily as he murmured, "Yes ma'am, Doctor."

"Hey, I didn't get a kiss," Joker called from the backseat.

Shepard snorted. "You're lucky you didn't get a kick in the shin." She shut the passenger door and went around the car, climbing into the driver's seat. "Alright, now let's see if I can get you two to the base without another disaster arising."

As if on cue, her omni-tool buzzed with an incoming call from Kaidan. "Shit," she whispered, tapping her earpiece. "Kaidan, please tell me no one else has been kidnapped, thrown in jail, shot or stabbed."

"Um, no, not that I'm aware of. Did you find Joker? Tough extraction?"

Shepard laughed. "You could say something like that. Joker's fine aside from some light trauma-" at that, Joker scoffed from the backseat, "and Garrus got a non-fatal stab wound. I'm heading back to Coronado so they can patch these two up. We'll be on our way after that."

"Good, good…" Kaidan trailed off, an awkward silence filling the line. He coughed, then said, "Good job, Commander. I'll see you when you get here."

"Sure… and Kaidan." She paused, unsure what to say. "Don't get too drunk before we get there. I think I owe all of us a few rounds."

Kaidan laughed. "Damn straight. See you soon… Shepard."

Shepard disconnected the line and glanced over at Garrus. He smiled, murmuring, "This was a little too intense of a shore leave for me, Shepard. I say next time, we go somewhere tropical and stay there."

Joker snorted. "Amen to that."

Shepard chuckled before pausing. Something was nagging at the base of her skull… "Joker," she said suddenly, "I thought you _were_ going to stay in Florida. How in the hell did you end up in a Tijuana prison?"

Joker laughed uncomfortably. "Well, about that..."

* * *

Author's Note:

Yay! Everyone is safe and sound! :)

To help everyone with the songs (I've had a few people message me with questions as to the songs and artists), here is a list of the songs and their artist. Most of these will pull up right away if you put them into youtube, but a few are remakes or obscure enough that they don't.

Chapter 1: Welcome Home, by Radical Face

Chapter 2: Dust in the Wind, by Kansas

Chapter 3: Low Rider, by War

Chapter 4: Roll Away Your Stone, by Mumford and Sons

Chapter 5: The Sound of Silence, by Simon and Garfunkel

Chapter 6: La Vie en Rose, by Lois Armstrong

Chapter 7: Somebody That I Used To Know, by Gotye

Chapter 8: Rev 22:20, by Puscifer -and- Crash into Me, by Dave Matthews' Band

Chapter 9: Dead Sea, by The Lumineers

Leave me some love in the comments!

Love love,

E.


	10. Heavy in Your Arms

**Chapter 10**

**Heavy in Your Arms**

* * *

(Joker's POV - Day 2 of Shore Leave)

The sound of the waves and the smell of the ocean had done something to him. It was unnerving, the change that this environment produced. It could have been because he was there alone, surrounded by lovers and gaggles of friends… but the ocean and the stars began to remind him of something.

"Up through an empty house of stars,/ Being what heart you are…" He murmured, more to himself than to anyone else.

The bartender glanced at him, cocking her head to the side. "I didn't think anyone else knew G.K. Chesterton," she said with a fascinated smile. She moved closer to him, the rag she had been wiping the antiqued bar down with suddenly forgotten.

"What?" Joker asked, looking confused.

The bartender laughed softly. "The poem… it's by Chesterton. He's one of my favorites," she confided. "I used to recite him every Armistice Day at our family gatherings."

Joker smiled, really smiled, at the girl. At first glance, the bartender was pretty average – she was slender, average complexion, caramel hair and dark, muddy eyes. But there was something in her smile that reminded him…

Of her.

"One of my old friends used to be obsessed with old poetry," he admitted, feeling something close to a lump forming in his throat. It was the first time he'd mentioned Ashley since his talk with Shepard. None of the crew had known how closely he and Ashley had begun to grow. No one knew that some mornings, before her duties, she would come onto the bridge and sit beside him. Sometimes she'd read poetry, sometimes she would just sit and watch the stars.

And he'd never told anyone.

The bartender's smile grew softer, gentler. "You lost the friend? In the war?" she added, nodding toward his Alliance tee shirt.

Joker forced a laugh. "What, do I look that bad that you think I was in the war?"

The bartender shrugged, leaning onto the bar. "You look sad. Like you've lost something and you don't know how to get it back. It's probably not at the bottom of that glass, either," she added, grinning.

Joker rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Your livelihood depends on me drinking these, you know? Don't try to convince me it's all in vein." He paused for a moment before adding, "My name's Joker. I'm a Flight Lieutenant with the Alliance."

The girl chuckled, standing back up. "I'm Lynn and I am your friendly local bartender." She looked as if she was going to end the conversation, but added, "Hey…If you're not doing anything in an hour, want to go grab a bite to eat?"

Joker cocked an eyebrow. "You just got done calling me a sad lonely drunk and now you want to have dinner with me?"

"Only if you're buying," she winked. "Alliance pays pretty well, I hear." She moved to the other side of the bar, helping a new patron.

Joker watched the bartender move around the bar with fluid effortlessness; she was in her own world, eyes lost in some other world that he felt like he couldn't reach. _She's just like Ash, _he thought, sadness enveloping him. _I shouldn't… she'll only end up walking away._

Despite his thought, he loitered at the bar while sipping beer until closing. Lynn cleaned up the glasses and the tables before waving him over toward the door. "I know this sad little diner that's just perfect."

"Sad little diner. Sounds fabulous," Joker muttered making Lynn laugh.

"Come on, funny man. It's around the corner."

At the proclaimed sad little diner, Lynn and Joker were the only patrons. At first glance, Joker figured it was because it was 3am and most people with sense were in bed. He then realized he was on a beachfront party town, which meant the clubs probably didn't close until 5am. They'd have another few hours before the drunken rabble made it in.

"I think," Lynn began, eyes going over the menu, "I am going to have a feast tonight. You are welcome to partake if you'd like," she offered with a grin.

"I'd hope so if I'm buying," Joker smiled, feeling more at ease with the flamboyant girl. There were so many elements of Ashley in her, but she was less aggressive, more sensitive… it was an interesting look.

"Well, if you are buying," Lynn giggled, "then we are having one of everything on the menu!"

"Where are you going to put it all?" Joker demanded, eyes going over her tiny frame.

"I have a freakishly high metabolism," Lynn admitted. "I have to take snack breaks at work every few hours so that I don't starve. My mom and dad had one of those in-vitro procedures done on me in womb –our family has a predisposition to extreme weight gain and nearsightedness. They corrected both, but it seems like the weight gain thing was a little too good. I don't think I've gained a pound since I was seventeen."

"Most people wouldn't complain about that," Joker pointed out.

Lynn shrugged and smiled at the waitress who appeared at their elbows. "Good morning," she said cheerfully to the woman. "My friend and I would like to order an omelet with everything on it, two orders of the mile high pancakes, two Belgium waffles, one with strawberries and the other with blueberries… And if we could also get a slice of chocolate pie later, that would be divine."

The waitress wrote down the order without even a blink of confusion. "Sounds good, Lynn. What would you both like to drink? The usual?"

"Yes, please, Helen!" she exclaimed, looking thrilled that the woman remembered her. Helen chuckled and took her leave.

Joker cocked an eyebrow. "I haven't seen anyone eat so much in one sitting, and I've seen biotics eat. That's pretty impressive."

"It's not all for me," Lynn scoffed. "We're sharing!"

Joker laughed. "Well, unlike your skinny ass, I have to watch my weight. I can't go take a jog and burn calories."

Lynn's smile faded a bit and she murmured, "Yeah, I noticed the limp. War injury?"

"Nah, nothing that exciting," Joker groaned, leaning back in his chair. "It's a disorder I was born with. Vrolik's Syndrome."

"Oh, my sister served with a pilot who had that!" Lynn exclaimed, her face lighting up.

Pieces clicked together instantly. His voice shaking, Joker asked, "Your sister?"

Lynn nodded, "My sister was a Gunnery Chief with the 212th, but she was later reassigned to the SR-I Normandy. She… she died on a mission," she added, her voice faltering. "No one would tell us what exactly happened to her… only that her body could not be recovered and…"

"Ashley," he breathed.

Lynn's eyes rose to Joker's and they shared a moment of silent understanding. "You're him. You're Jeff."

The waitress returned with the "usual" drinks – two large vanilla milkshakes, whipped cream and a cherry on top. "Enjoy," she said before going back to the kitchen.

"She'd mentioned she had sisters, but-" Joker began.

At the same instant, Lynn breathed, "She mentioned she liked her flight lieutenant, but-"

The two stared at one another as if a veil had been lifted. Lynn was the first to blink, large tears well in her dark eyes. "Oh God, this is fate. I knew if I just waited, I would get a sign."

Jeff reached out, a finger gently brushing Lynn's face before he pulled away, seeming shocked by his actions. "I just needed to make sure I wasn't imagining you."

Lynn laughed, and just like that, she was back to normal. "You know, I remember one of Ashley's video logs she sent us – God, it was hysterical! She was there with the Commander and they were trying to pull a turian out from under this vehicle-"

"Ah, shit, I forgot about that!" Joker exclaimed. "I wasn't there for it, but she showed me the vid later. I guess Garrus was trying to show off to Shepard, showing her what he was working on – calibrating is, like, his life or something. Annnd he forgets to make sure the Mako jack was locked. So he gets under this vehicle which he can just barely fit under _without_ armor, and asks Shepard to crank the jack so the vehicle would lift up high enough for him to show her the mod."

"In his full suit of armor," Lynn giggled.

"Yeah! So, Shepard, who by the way knows nothing about Makos and repairing them, starts cranking the jack, not knowing that it isn't locked in place under the vehicle." Joker's voice was rising in his storytelling, his hands waiving. Lynn had fallen into fits of giggles watching him. "So, this jack, of course, slides out from under the vehicle and WHAM! Down it comes right on Garrus! He's pinned under it by his armor, which is caught under the Mako. He's waving his arms and legs, yelling for Shepard to get it off of him."

The two were in hysterics by this point. "Thank God Ash thought to get a vid of it," Joker grinned, wiping a tear of mirth from his eye. "That was classic. We had some great blackmail material for a bit. But then it was decided it was more embarrassing for Shepard. She's, like, this big shot Spectre and can't even get a jack under a Mako."

The two slowly calm down and Lynn, face red from laughing, murmurs, "She always respected Shepard. Wouldn't shut up about her at first. Of course, she didn't really agree with all the time Shepard spent with the aliens at first…" Lynn grinned, lost in memory. "But then, one day, she called me and said something I never thought I'd hear…"

"That she'd fallen in love with her flight lieutenant?" Joker interrupted, only half-joking.

Lynn rolled her eyes. "That she went up to the Krogan and asked him to help her with her hand-to-hand."

Joker raised an eyebrow. He didn't know about this. "She did?"

Lynn nodded sagely, sipping her milkshake. "And he actually did. They sparred and talked about their differences. I will always remember how surprised she was when she told me that, under that rough exterior, Wrex was just a soldier trying to do right by his people. Just like she was."

Their food arrived and the two tucked into the meal with gusto, sharing stories about Ashley as they did. When they had polished off every plate, including the pie, Lynn leaned back in her seat and regarded Joker. "I am leaving for Mexico," she alleged suddenly.

Joker raised an eyebrow. "When? Like, right now?"

Lynn grinned. "Yeah. I just got in from Brazil last month and decided to hang out here for a while. Now I feel like it's time to move on again."

"Why Mexico? Or Brazil, for that matter?" Joker asked, beginning to feel concern for this girl's mental state.

"Well," Lynn drawled, "I went to Brazil because that's where Ashley was first stationed. She'd write home and tell me about all of these cool things to see and bars to party in when I joined up with the Alliance." Lynn chuckled softly. "I didn't have the heart to tell her I had no interest in carrying on the family's military service."

"So, you retraced her footsteps through her letters?" Joker surmised. Now her moving around made sense.

Lynn nodded. "After Brazil, she had a short stint here before being shipped out. I am going to Mexico because it was where she said she would take me to celebrate my 21st birthday." She smiled sadly.

Joker nodded, watching the girl for a few moments. "Well," he began coolly, "if you're looking for someone to tag along for a while, I've got 11 more days until I have to be back on duty."

Lynn's face lit up like a light bulb. "You'd do that? For me?"

Joker grinned. "I've got nothing better to do. When do you wanna go?"

Lynn's smile was mischievous. "As soon as we can hitch a ride."

"You're joking, right?" he asked, concern creeping up again.

…

She hadn't been joking. They sat in the back of an old red hover car, the vehicle making the most god-awful sound whenever the driver turned left. Luckily, it didn't happen often. Their windows were all down due to the lack of central air.

"Do you hitchhike often?" Joker finally braved to ask Lynn.

Lynn shrugged, munching on some crackers she'd picked up at their last refueling stop. "If I have a cute riding companion or if the driver's hot," she purred.

Joker snorted. "Really? And which reason was this?"

Lynn made a face; their driver had to have close to eighty and practically deaf. "I'll give you a shot to guess at that one."

"Cute, huh?" Joker prodded, making Lynn giggle. "I guess that's better than Creaky. I got that a lot back in flight training."

"That's not very nice," Lynn said, but she couldn't hide the small chuckle that escaped her lips. "You're more cute than creaky, I'd say."

"You're too kind," Joker grinned. After a few moments pause, he murmured, "I think this is the most fun I've had since Ash…"

Lynn nodded. "Me too."

…

(Joker's POV – Day 6 of Shore Leave)

Joker awoke in better spirits than he ever remembered being in. The hot summer sun bore in through the open windows, the midmorning noise of Tijuana filtering in. The smell of freshly baked bread was filling the room from the bakery beneath them.

Joker glanced down at the sleeping girl beside him. She was so young and flawless – he took a moment to watch her honeyed skin glisten in the sun as she breathed easily. He ran a hand gently down her side, feeling the smooth bare skin, free of dimples, scars or birthmarks.

Innocent, he realized. She looked like an innocent version of Ashley.

Joker got to his feet and began dressing as quickly and quietly as he dared. He wanted to get breakfast for Lynn; maybe some coffee, too, if it was freshly brewed. He stepped into a pair of sandals Lynn had bought him and took the rickety stairs down to the bakery.

Only in Tijuana would they have a hotel sitting above a bakery, Joker mused to himself. It was a pretty sweet setup for the bakery, honestly. He made his way to the counter and ordered an assortment of croissants and doughnuts, followed by two steins of coffee. He paid quickly before returning to the hotel room.

Lynn was awake and yawning when he came in. She had put on a thin camisole and panties, which did absolutely nothing to hide her slender body. She smiled sleepily at him as he entered and murmured, "I smell breakfast."

They sat on the bed, eating without a word. Lynn was fond of quiet mornings, as her sister had been. She liked to sit and savor her food, her coffee, and think. Joker was content to share in the morning ritual, sometimes guiltily imagining that it was Ashley with him instead of Lynn.

After breakfast, Lynn was a flurry of activity. She began picking up discarded clothes from the night before and brushing out her long hair in the vanity mirror. She glanced at Joker in the mirror and smiled. "I can see why she liked you."

Joker forced a grin. "Everyone loves Joker."

"Don't," she said simply. She ran the brush through her hair a few more times before adding, "You don't have to hide the pain from me, Joker. I am going through the same thing, you know. In fact, it's probably harder on me. Don't try and make a joke about how you felt for her."

Joker wasn't sure what to say. She was right, of course. It seemed the Lynn was much wiser than her 21 years. _Must be all the poetry, _he mused to himself. Aloud, he murmured, "You're right. But I don't know how to deal with it any other way."

Lynn came to him, her lips covering his as they had the night before. When she pulled away, she whispered gently, "Ashley liked you. A lot. You need to deal with it how any loved one does. You need to cry."

She pulled away, putting her bag together. "I need to get back to Florida. I still have a job to do," she grinned.

"I'll come with you," Joker offered.

Lynn turned to him, her smile pained. "I think I should go back alone."

Joker nodded. Well this was the least painful, and most honest, breakup he'd ever been a part of. "All right. Keep in touch."

Lynn nodded before grabbing her necklace and slipping it over her head. It was a long silver chain with a small charm at the end. It was a deep brown laced with amber piping. "It's tiger's eye," Lynn said softly. "It was hers. She gave it to me right before she left the colony for Earth. I want you to have it."

Joker took the pendant, feeling something very akin to tears beading in his eyes. He wanted to tell Lynn that she came to him right when he needed her; that she was the reason he wasn't still sitting at a bar, getting shitfaced. "Thank you…for everything," he said simply.

Lynn dressed quickly before coming back to him, kissing his lips gently. It was a goodbye kiss, a kiss that said she would never see him again, would never speak with him again. Her promise to keep in touch was hollow, but her next words were not. "I think she loved you. And I know you loved her. But don't let it destroy you, Joker. You are beautiful, you are strong. You are intrepid."

Joker met his lips to hers one last time before whispering, "Goodbye." He closed his eyes, willing himself to stay strong. This was his goodbye -not just to Lynn… to Ashley, as well. When he opened his eyes, she was gone.

On the bed was a small piece of paper with a quick, hand-written poem scrawled on it.

_Dear as remembered kisses after death,_

_And sweet as those by hopeless fancy feigned_

_On lips that are for others; deep as love,_

_Deep as first love, and wild with all regret;_

_O Death in Life, the days that are no more!_

-_Tears, Idle Tears by Lord Tennyson_

…

Joker found himself wandering down the street outside of the hotel, sipping his lukewarm coffee and trying to understand what had happened during his shore leave. It was almost half over and he still wasn't sure if he'd accomplished anything.

His hand felt the trinket under his Alliance tee shirt and decided that, even though it was far from the shore leave he expected, he at least got closure.

It was right about that moment when something large and heavy slammed into the back of his head, making him blackout.

When he awoke, he was in a cell and he was bleeding from the back of his head. "What the shit?" he grumbled, struggling to sit up. He felt the large knot on the back of his head, felt the blood, and panicked. "Hey!" he called out. "Hey, assholes! I'm bleeding in here! _El bleedo! My heado is el bleedo!"_

A man with _Policia _across his dark shirt strolled into the cell with Joker, his sizeable bulk tugging at the too small fabric of his shirt. "Well, well, if it isn't Alliance _gringo_. You Alliance, always coming here and thinking you can run the place. This is my town, _ese_; so you lay there and enjoy your death."

With that, the man kicked Joker in the head, making the flight lieutenant black out again.

…

Day 9

Present Time

Garrus smiled, murmuring, "This was a little too intense of a shore leave for me, Shepard. I say next time, we go somewhere tropical and stay there."

Joker snorted. "Amen to that."

Shepard chuckled before pausing. Something was nagging at the base of her skull… "Joker," she said suddenly, "I thought you _were_ going to stay in Florida. How in the hell did you end up in a Tijuana prison?"

Joker laughed uncomfortably. "Well, about that..." He wasn't sure what to say. That he'd met Ashley's sister, they travelled to Mexico, and she left him there? Then some crazy guy threw him in jail?

Joker laughed softly before saying, "I met this hot chick and she wanted to take me home to her dad to get his approval to marry me. So we went to Tijuana, she stole half of my credits and left me heartbroken in the street… then they crazy guy dragged me to jail."

Shepard snorted. "Sure, Joker. Maybe we should get that head checked while we're at the base."

Garrus chuckled. "Joker, you've got to quit making up great stories – it makes the real ones seem weak in comparison."

Joker closed his eyes, remembering Lynn and Ashley's faces. They was already growing hazy, the fine details fading. "Sometimes," Joker groused, "the truth is stranger than fiction."

Shepard glanced in the rearview mirror and felt something like sadness for the man. She had known the story was made up – but what was Joker hiding? Maybe, someday, he might open up enough to tell her. Instead of pressing, Shepard said, "I think ice cream is in order. Surely San Diego has a dextro- levo- friendly ice cream shop."

"Sand Diego is an everything-friendly place," Joker agreed, feeling a bit better. After a moment, he said, "Thanks, guys. For coming."

Shepard looked into the rearview, meeting Joker's gaze. She smiled at him softly, murmuring, "You're one of the crew. You're one of us. There's no way we'd leave you behind."

* * *

Author's Note:

:) I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I did. I wanted to explore a relationship I don't see very often. This chapter's song was "Heavy in Your Arms" by Florence + the Machine.

Also, I have an odd tidbit for everyone– there are two versions of this chapter. This one which you read was by far the better of the two; it was more in line with the story. The other version is… dark. Very dark. It's also pretty morbid. I was so proud of it last night when I wrote it (I blame it on all of the Theraflu I am taking), and thought it was great. My husband read it and basically said, "You need to reread this tomorrow morning and then tell me if it sounds good to you."

So, I reread it this morning and… Holy. Crap. It's like Gotham City swallowed my story. SO, if you would like to read the very dark, morbid version of this chapter – leave me your email address in a review or PM and I will send it over.

Lots of love love!

E.


	11. Little Talks

Chapter 11

Little Talks

* * *

Shepard, Garrus, Kaidan and Joker had come to a unanimous decision to ignore Udina's order to return to the Citadel early. As Shepard reminded everyone, shore leave had been approved by the Council, and who were they to disobey?

The three humans and turian spent the final days of their shore leave on the beach – Shepard had even been convinced, after imbibing a large amount of alcohol, to purchase a bikini and get a tan. This was met with quite a few cat calls from Joker (who was threatened with being thrown in the brig) and appreciative hums from Garrus (which was met by a flirtatious wink).

The days passed too quickly and the group of four found themselves back aboard the Normandy before they knew it. The Council had already sent over a list of hotspots of reported geth activity. Shepard decided to pick her battles on this; if the Council wanted her chasing geth instead of looking for Reapers, then that is what she would do…for now.

As the SR-I entered the Mass Relay on a course for the Citadel, Garrus found his way up to the captain's cabin. He found Shepard at her small office area, poring over a miniature holomap of the Traverse.

"Have a moment?" he asked gently as he entered.

Shepard turned; her eyes were unfocused, as if still in thought. "Garrus, what's going on?"

Garrus shrugged, coming to lean against her desk. "Nothing, I just wanted to… talk. Before we get to the Citadel."

A look passed over Shepard's face before being replaced with her calm, cool mask. She watched him with carefully guarded eyes, as if wary.

"Shepard, what happened on Earth-"

"Was a one-time thing," Shepard interrupted. Her voice was level, emotionless.

Garrus felt as if she had just shot him point-blank. He hadn't expected tears and heartfelt _I love you's_, sure, but he also didn't expect she'd insinuate they was a mistake. He blinked a few times, trying to clear his head, before murmuring, "Right… that's, ah… that's what I was coming to confirm…"

Shepard offered him one of her half smiles, her head dipping back down to the holomap.

Garrus stood awkwardly, trying to discern if everything he had seen on Earth was a lie. If Shepard was really as unattached as she made herself out to be. "I guess I have my answer," he murmured before turning on his heel, heading back to the door.

The door slid open with a low hum and he got into the elevator, feeling his hands shaking in… rage? Despair? The elevator closed, waiting patiently for him to tell it where to go.

_I love her, _he allowed himself to admit internally. _I love her and she just brushed me away. She never felt anything. She never…_

_No, _he thought more forcefully. _No, she feels something. She has to feel something! _He slammed a taloned thumb on the 'open doors' button and went right back into Shepard's room, not knocking.

Shepard was still sitting at her desk, but this time, her head was buried in her upturned palms. She jumped when he entered and wiped furiously at her face before turning slowly. "Garrus, was there something else?"

Garrus heard the slight tremor and noticed the smears of mascara at the corner of her eyes. He strode the last few steps until he was beside her chair. He grabbed the back of it, pulling it away from the desk and grabbing Shepard by the shoulders. He pulled the commander against him, brushing her hair away from her tear-stained face.

"Don't ever lie to me, Shepard," Garrus whispered softly.

Shepard was trying not to cry but her shoulders kept jumping in withheld tears. "I… I didn't want to," she breathed, face buried into his shirt. He hadn't changed back into his armor just yet, still relishing the soft civilian clothes. "I just…" Shepard was trying to breathe deeply, to control her emotions. "It's going to hurt like a bitch when you leave."

Garrus pulled away slightly, meeting Shepard's eyes. "Do you want me to stay?" he asked softly.

Shepard shook her head forcefully. "No, Garrus, you need to stay with C-Sec. I tore you away from them once and you father hated us for it. I need you to do your duty and maybe, when we find out more about the Reapers…" she trailed off, letting her words hang in the air.

"When you find out what the Reapers are up to," Garrus finished for her, "then I will be the very first C-Sec officer who requests a transfer to the SR-I Normandy."

Shepard chuckled, wiping at her eyes. "I wasn't supposed to cry," Shepard laughed. "I went through this goodbye a million times in my head and I never cried."

"It's not goodbye yet," Garrus said gently, stroking Shepard's cheek gently. "We still have a few hours before we get there. Besides," he added with a smirk, "I can bother you all I want. I have your omni-tool identifier, after all."

Shepard laughed softly, meeting his eyes finally. "Is that a threat, Vakarian?"

"It's a promise, Shepard," he retuned smoothly, leaning down to meet her lips with his.

…

The docking bay was crowded with Normandy crew returning to the ship. When the SR-I docked, there was a flurry of activity of petty officers and ensigns moving to get aboard. Only three people got off of the ship, and those three were met with a livid Udina.

"What the hell took you so long?" he demanded, dark cheeks flaring a vivacious red.

The female of the group smirked, crossing her arms over her chest – a chest that, instead of N7 armor, was covered with a thin white Alliance tank top. The unofficial shirt was paired with her cutoff shorts and a pair of flip flops from Earth. "It's great to see you, too, Udina," she greeted.

"Shepard! You have some nerve showing up in front of me dressed like some common street tramp!"

Shepard shrugged an extremely tanned shoulder, the movement as graceful as it was dismissive. "I didn't come to the dock to see you, Udina. I came to say goodbye to one of my men. He's rejoining C-Sec," she added.

The turian of the group nodded to Udina. "It's always a pleasure, Udina," he said in a polite tone that, somehow, made it obvious he meant the exact opposite.

Udina's cheeks were growing purple. "I have had it with the both of you! How dare you cause such a spectacle-"

"Kind of like the one you're causing now, sir?" the human male asked from Shepard's other side. Shepard turned, offering Kaidan a grin.

Udina took a deep breath and looked as if he was counting to ten. "Get out of my sight!" he said finally, grumbling something about 'learning her place' and 'damned aliens.' He turned, shuffling away from the docking bay.

Kaidan was the first to react. He went over to Garrus, offering the turian his hand. "Sad to see you go, Vakarian," he said.

The turian shook his hand with a smile. "I am sad to leave. But you'll do just fine without me."

Shepard turned her gaze to Garrus, offering him a gentle grin and a hand. "So long, Garrus. Until next time."

Garrus took her hand, shaking it firmly. "Until next time, Shepard." He smiled, adding, "You know where to find me if you're ever on the Citadel between now and then."

Shepard nodded. She said nothing, but Garrus noticed a slight tremble to her chin; it was so slight that he doubted anyone else would have seen it.

"Well, Commander," he said, releasing her hand. "Take good care of yourself. You won't have me there to make sure you're eating regularly."

Shepard laughed, the beginnings of tears glistening at the corners of her eyes. "Thanks, Garrus. I'll try."

Garrus turned, steeling himself for a new chapter of his life. Or would this count as an old chapter, since he was just returning to C-Sec? _But it's C-Sec post-Shepard, _he rationalized to himself. _Definitely a new chapter… I wonder how long I can last with the C-Sec rules after tasting that freedom of working with a Spectre._

When Garrus turned back to glance back at the Normandy, Shepard was nowhere to be see. Kaidan still stood there and waved a goodbye to him. The turian returned the gesture, feeling his heart sink a bit. He knew the necessity of Shepard appearing formal in front of the masses. Even if she didn't like to admit it, Udina was right – her image meant a lot.

It wasn't until much later that night, when Garrus got settled into his C-Sec provided apartment, that he checked his omni-tool. There were a few messages about reinstatement to Security, as well as orientation forms he would need to complete. But there, at the bottom, was a decrypted message from a very family identifier.

He accessed the message, which said simply:

_I don't know how I am going to do this without you. But I am going to do my best – for the both of us. And when I see you again, Garrus… Udina be damned, I am getting a kiss._

Garrus laughed, feeling a swelling of love well within him. He noticed a small file attached to the message; he pulled it up to be met with one of the photos from their Era photo-shoot.

In it, Garrus wore his "law man" uniform and was sitting on a barstool. The tin star pinned to his suit glittered in the light. Shepard leaned against him in her emerald saloon dress, planting a kiss on Garrus' cheek. Her eyes were closed and the most gorgeous smile tilted the corner of her lips as she kissed him.

Garrus smiled, saving the picture to his omni-tool. He typed in a response to Shepard; it was short, but he knew she'd know the weight behind it.

_Those pictures were money well spent._

A few moments later, her response came through.

_I knew you'd end up loving that suit._

_**Fin.**_

* * *

Author's Note:

Chapter's song: "Little Talks," by Of Monsters and Men

We reached the end! I hope you all enjoyed the ride as much as I did! Happy reading and writing, lovies!

Leave me a comment and let me know any pairings you want to see for the future and I just might get a story rolling for ya soon. :)

Love love,

E.


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